MANNU LAL MAHTO vs STATE OF BIHAR

The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of the appellants under Section 307 IPC but modified their sentences, reducing Mannu Lal Mahto's sentence from seven to four years and Panna Devi's from seven to two years. The Court found that the appellants had fired into a crowd while constructing a house on public property, rejecting their claim of acting in private defense under Section 96 IPC. The injuries caused were deemed simple, and the Court noted the significant time elapsed since the incident, which influenced the sentence reduction.