VIJI vs STATE OF KARNATAKA

The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of the appellants under Section 302 read with Section 149 IPC for the murder of John Peter, affirming the findings of the lower courts regarding their involvement as members of an unlawful assembly. The Court clarified that the common object of the assembly was to commit murder, which was established through eyewitness testimonies and medical evidence. However, the Court modified the conviction by acquitting the appellants of lesser charges under Sections 143, 144, 147, and 148 IPC, resulting in a life sentence for the murder conviction only.