The Bombay high court on Wednesday commuted the death sentence to six convicts in Khairlanji killings to life imprisonment.

Life imprisonment to the accused in the Khairlanji killings case will be for a period of 25 years, including the time they have already served in prison.

Four members of a Dalit family -- Surekha Bhaiyalal Bhotmange, her daughter Priyanka and sons Sudhir and Roshan -- were killed on September 29, 2006, over a land dispute in Khairlanji village of Bhandara district in Maharashtra [Images].

Six people were sentenced to death and two were punished with life imprisonment by a Bhandara court on September 24, 2008.

In March-April this year, the high court bench had heard arguments on the confirmation of sentences. The bench had also heard appeals of the Central Bureau of Investigation, the prosecuting agency, and defence lawyers.

The CBI had appealed against the lower court's order dropping charges under Atrocities Act for lack of evidence and for enhancement of sentence of two life convicts to death.

The defence lawyers had appealed against the trial court's verdict sentencing six accused to death and two to life imprisonment.

A special court sentenced six to death and two to life imprisonment in the Khairlanji case on September 24, 2008.

The six convicts are Sakru Binjewar, Ramu Dhande, Shatrughan Dhande, Vishwanath Dhande, Jagdish Mandlekar and Prabhakar Mandlekar.