2026 INSC 178
1
REPORTABLE IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO(S). 1837-38 OF 2011
SITARAM KUCHHBEDIA ….APPELLANT(S)
VERSUS
VIMAL RANA AND OTHERS ….RESPONDENT(S)
WITH
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO(S). 1835-36 OF 2011
J U D G M E N T
Mehta, J.
1. Heard.
2. These appeals arise out of the common
judgment and order dated 19th July, 2010, rendered
by the Division Bench of the High Court of Madhya
Pradesh at Jabalpur1 in Criminal Appeal Nos. 745
and 774 of 2006, whereby the High Court partly
allowed the appeals preferred by the accused,
1 Hereinafter, referred to as the “High Court”.
2
namely, Roop Singh, Mukesh Gujar s/o Phool Singh,
Pintu @ Jitendra Kumar, Ajju @ Ajay Singh, Baddu
@ Badda, Vimal Rana, Dhanraj, Kehari Singh, Parath
Singh, Meharban Singh, Phool Singh, Durjan Gujar,
Paggal @ Bal Kishan, Bhagwan Gujar, Prakash
Gujar, Mukesh Gujar s/o Rustom Gujar, Gudda @
Meharban, Malkhan Singh, Pappu @ Pushpendra
Gujar.
3. The accused persons were put to trial before the
learned Special Judge (Atrocities), Narsinghpur,2 in
Special Case No. 51 of 2004. Upon conclusion of the
trial, vide judgment and order dated 7th April, 2006,
the accused were convicted for the offences
punishable under Section 148 of the Indian Penal
Code3 and Sections 323, 325, and 302 read with
Section 149 IPC, and were sentenced in the terms set
out belo...