In Brief
In 1981, five appellants participated in an assault on a family, resulting in the death of Gurdev Singh from bomb injuries. The Trial Court acquitted all accused, but the High Court convicted them of culpable homicide amounting to murder under IPC Sections 304 Part I and 149, with 10-year sentences. The Supreme Court held that while the appellants were part of an armed unlawful assembly and participated in the initial assault, the bombs were thrown randomly without targeting a specific victim. Consequently, the Court modified the conviction to Section 304 Part II, reduced the sentence to 5 years, increased the fine to Rs. 50,000 each as compensation, and partly allowed the appeals.
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