KASAPURAM GOVINDU Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This Criminal Appeal is filed by the accused, 9 in number, against the judgment dated 24.04.2015 in Sessions Case No.172 of 2012 on the file of IV Additional District and Sessions Judge, Kurnool (for short, the trial Court). Charges were framed under Section 148 IPC against A.1 to A.9, Section 302 IPC against A.1 to A.3, Section 324 IPC against A.1 to A.9 and Section 302 read with Section 149 IPC against A.4 to A.9 and they were tried on the aforesaid charges. The trial Court convicted the accused under various counts i.e., A.1 to A.9 for the charge under Section 148 IPC and sentenced to suffer R.I. for a period of one year each and also to pay a fine of Rs.500/- each, in default, to suffer simple imprisonment for one month each; A.1 to A.3 for the charge under Section 302 IPC and sentenced to suffer R.I. for life and also to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/- each, in default, to suffer S.I. for two months each; A.4 to A.9 for the charge under Section 302 read with Section 149 IPC and sentenced to suffer R.I. for life and also to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/- each, in default, to suffer S.I. for two months each; A.5 to A.9 for the charge under Section 324 IPC and sentenced to suffer R.I. for one year and also to pay a fine of Rs.500/- each, in default, to suffer S.I. for two months each; A.4 for the charge under Section 109 IPC and sentenced to suffer R.I. for life and also to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/- each, in default, to suffer S.I. for two months. All the sentences were directed to run concurrently.

(2.) For the sake of convenience, the appellants are referred to as they are arrayed before the trial Court.

(3.) The facts of the case, in nutshell, are that A.1 to A.9 are inter-related. P.W.1 is the younger brother of Nadipi Venkaiah (hereinafter referred to as 'deceased'). P.W.2 (L.W.3)-K.Seshanna, P.W.3 and L.W.5-K.Venkata Sivudu are the sons of the deceased. L.W.7-K.Venkateswarlu is the nephew and L.W.8-K.Laxmi Devi is sister-in-law of the deceased, while P.W.5 is the younger brother of the deceased. L.W.10-K.Ramulamma, is the youngest son of P.W.1. A.1, A.3 and A.4 are the nephews of the deceased.