LOKMAN RAMDIN Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE appellants named above were convicted and sentenced by the Special Judge Bhind of offences under Sections 395 and 397 I. P. C. to undergo rigorous imprisonment for seven years each. They have preferred this appeal (through counsel) against their conviction and sentence.

(2.) ON the 6th of December, 1956 a dacoity was committed by 20/25 persons at village Katchpura ? a bulk of the population of which consists of persons belonging to the Gujar community. After almost all the houses of the village had been looted the dacoits left the village shortly after dusk.

(3.) THE first information report about this incident was lodged by Pw. 1 ? Madhoaingh at police station Ater on 7. 12. 1956 at 12 noon. Out of the present appellants the names of Kanhai and Lukka were mentioned in the report as also the fact that the dacoity in question had been committed by the members of Rupa's gang. None of the present appellants could be arrested by the police for several years after the incident. On the 19th of May, 1960 the present appellants surrendered themselves before Shri Acharya Vinoba Bhave in response to what has been termed by the learned Sessions Judge as his peace mission.