(1.) THIS referred trial under Sec.366, Crl.P.C, and the appeal are against the verdict of the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Ramasamy Padaiyachi District, at Villupuram, imposing the extreme penalty of death sentence to the appellants 1 and 2, and life imprisonment for the other offences under Secs,302, I.P.C., (two counts) 302 read with Sec. 149, They were also convicted for the offences under Sec.148,449,364,307,307 read with 149,324 and 324 read with 149, I.P.C. for which, the learned Sessions Judge has not imposed any sentence separately, as he has given the death penalty to the appellants 1 and 2 and life imprisonment to the other appellants.
(2.) THE facts of the case can be summarised in the following manner:
(3.) THE learned Additional Sessions Judge, Villupurarn, examined 11 witnesses produced by the prosecution, and after the evidence was over, he questioned the accused/ appellants 1 to 5, under Sec.313, Crl.P.C, with reference to the incriminating circumstances found against them. The appellants denied their complicity in the crime, and stated that the case is foisted against them. They did not examine any witness on their side.