(a) P.W.1/Veeramani, who was residing in Attur, Salem District worked as Supervisor in Hatsun Agro Product Ltd., He used to make payments to all the Milk suppliers at the end of every week. On 09.04.2005 at about 2.30 p.m, P.W.1/Veeramani proceeded in a van to make payments to all the Milk Centres after receiving Rs.91,929/from P.W.5/Durairaj, Purchase Officer at Hatsun Company along with the driver. P.W.2/Velumani and the cleaner, Kamaraj. At that time, P.W.7/Sekar, who was incharge of one of the Milk Centres, got his payment from P.W.1 in the office itself which amounts to Rs.3432.75. On the way, P.W.1 settled a sum of Rs.2889/- to Nainarpalayam Centre Incharge and proceeded to settle the other Milk Centres with the balance cash of Rs.85,608/-. When P.W.1 was passing through S.Mettur village, on the left side of the main road in front of a Milestone bearing 4 k.ms, as there was a pit in the small culvert the driver of the Van, P.W.2 drove the Van slowly. At that time, in the opposite direction four persons were standing with two vehicles, viz., one black color Yamaha without number plate and one red colour TVS Suzuki. Among those persons, three persons had sticks and one person had a knife. The accused persons struck off the front glass with knife and one person pointed a knife at the neck of the driver of the Van, P.W.2 and one another person climbed on the side of the cleaner and one another person threatened P.W.1 to give the money. When P.W.1 refused to give the money, the accused persons placed the knife at his neck and took away Rs.85,608/- kept under his legs. Then the accused persons sped away from the scene of occurrence in the motorcycles. PW.3/Subramani, who was working in his field along with his brother and others, on hearing the commotion rusehd to the place of occurrence. Then, P.W.1, P.W.2 and the cleaner went to Mangalore and from there, P.W.1 informed his Officer, P.W.5/Durairaj through Phone about the alleged occurrence. Thereafter, P.W.1 lodged a complaint in Sirupakkam Police Station.
