IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CRIMINAL  APPELLATE JURISDICTION  

CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 109   OF  2010

    (Arising out of SLP(Crl.) No.2160/2009)

SHIVANAGOUD CHANEGOUD PATIL AND ORS.        Appellant(s)

                    :VERSUS:

STATE OF KARNATAKA             Respondent(s)

O R D E R

Delay condoned. Leave granted.

This  appeal  is  directed  against  the  judgment  and  

order dated 13th April, 2007 passed by the High Court of  

Karnataka in Criminal Appeal No.1614 of 2004.  

The Additional Sessions Judge, Belgaum, in a double  

murder case, convicted the accused A-3, A-5, A-7, A-8, A-9,  

A-21 and A-22 for offences punishable under Section 302 read  

with Section 149, Sections 143, 147, 148, 324 and 148 of the  

Indian Penal Code and sentenced them to life imprisonment  

and they were also directed to pay a fine of Rs.2,000/- each  

and  in  default  of  payment  of  fine,  to  undergo  simple  

imprisonment for three months.   

-2-

The  High  Court  by  the  impugned  judgment  without  

discussing  the  evidence  and  examining  the  documents  on  

record, upheld the conviction of A-5, A-7, A-8, A-9, A-21  

and A-22 and set aside the conviction of A-3.  We hardly  

need to remind the High Court that it was the first appeal  

before  the  High  Court  and  the  High  Court  was  under  the  

boundened duty to consider the entire evidence and other  

documents on record in detail.   

In the circumstances, we are constrained to set aside  

the impugned judgment and remit the appeal to the High Court  

for deciding the same afresh after closely examining the  

entire evidence and other documents on record.  

Learned  counsel  for  the  appellants  submits  that  

against the acquittal of A-3, the State has not preferred  

any appeal. Therefore, the remand is in respect of other  

accused excepting A-3.  

With  the  aforementioned  observation  and  direction  

this appeal is disposed of.

.....................J (DALVEER BHANDARI)

.....................J (A.K. PATNAIK)

New Delhi; January 14, 2010.