JAGJIT SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Since common questions of law and facts are involved in these appeals, i.e. CRA-D-941-DB-2003, CRA-D-67-DB-2004 and CRA-D-900- DB-2005, therefore, these are taken up together and being disposed of by a common judgment.

(2.) These appeals are instituted against the judgment dated 18.11.2003 and order dated 19.11.2003, rendered by learned Sessions Judge, Faridkot, in Sessions Case RT No. 18 dated 18.09.1998/05.05.2003. Appellants Jagjit Singh, Mukhtiar Singh, Jugraj Singh, Karamjit Kaur, Gurcharan Singh and Pritam Singh alias Pappu along with co-accused Shembar Singh alias Doctor were charged with and tried for the offences punishable under Sections 148, 302/149, 343 and 201 of the Indian Penal Code (for short, 'IPC'). The appellants were convicted and sentenced as under :-

(3.) The case of the prosecution, in a nutshell, is that initially the case was registered under Sections 279/304-A/427 IPC on the basis of the statement of Swaran Singh son of Santa Singh, since it was a case of accident. However, later on, after recording the statement of Surjit Singh, brother of deceased Jasvirpal Singh, the offences were converted into Sections 148, 302/149, 343 and 201 IPC.