- (1.) A Bench comprising three-Judges of this Court has referred to us the following short but interesting question: "Whether consecutive life sentences can be awarded to a convict on being found guilty of a series of murders for which he has been tried in a single trial ."
(2.) The question arises in the following circumstances:
(3.) The appellants were tried for several offences including an offence punishable under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (for short, "the IPC") for several murders allegedly committed by them in a single incident. They were found guilty and sentenced to suffer varying sentences, including a sentence of imprisonment for life for each one of the murders committed by them. What is important is that the sentence of imprisonment for life for each one of the murders was directed to run consecutively. The result was that the appellants were to undergo consecutive life sentences ranging between two to eight such sentences depending upon the number of murders committed by them. Criminal appeals preferred against the conviction and the award of consecutive life sentences having failed, the appellants have filed the present appeals to assail the judgments and orders passed by the courts below.;