Adarsh Kumar Goel, J. - (1.) THIS order will dispose of Criminal Appeal No. 525 -DB of 2003 filed by Baljit @ Sonu, Raman Goswami @ Goldi, Ravi Dhingra and Laxmi Narain, Criminal Appeal No. 566 -DB of 2003 filed by Parvez Khan, Criminal Appeal No. 1384 -SB of 2003 filed by Laxmi Narain, Criminal Appeal No. 1203 -SB of 2003 filed by Baljit Pahwa.
(2.) THE appellants stand convicted under Section 364A/148/149 IPC, for which they have been sentenced to undergo life imprisonment and other smaller sentences, for which they have filed Criminal Appeal No. 525 -DB of 2003 and Criminal Appeal No. 566 -DB of 2003. Laxmi Narain and Baljit Pahwa also stand convicted under Section 25 of the Arms Act for which they have filed Criminal Appeal No. 1203 -SB of 2003 and Criminal Appeal No. 1384 -SB of 2003. Case of the prosecution against the appellants is that they kidnapped Harsh (PW -21) aged 14 years son of Dr. H.K. Sobti (PW20) and Mrs. Indra Sobti (PW -5) when he was going to the school, for ransom.
(3.) FIR was lodged by Dr. H.K. Sobti on 15.2.2000 at 11 -30 A.M., to the effect that on 15.2.2000, his son Harsh who was studying in 7th class in Aggarsain Public School, Kurukshetra, left his home at 7.45 A.M. He received a telephonic message of the Principal of the School at 8 -30 A.M. that Harsh had not reached the school. He told the Principal that Harsh had already left for the school at 7 -45 A.M. Dr. Sobti and his wife went to the school and met the Principal and were worried as to why the child had not reached the school. When they came to the school in search of Harsh, Mrs. Kanta Goyal (PW -2) who was resident of house No. 1653/13 which was near the said school and another student of 9th class Manish (PW -4) told them that at 8 -15 A.M., two boys with muffled faces had put Harsh in a Maruti car without number and having black glasses.;