Supreme Court to Review Rajoana's Death Sentence Commutation on Monday
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Synopsis
On January 20, the Supreme Court will hear Balwant Singh Rajoana's plea for commutation of his death sentence in the 1995 assassination case of Beant Singh, citing delays in his mercy petition.
Key Takeaways
- Supreme Court scheduled to hear Rajoana's plea.
- Rajoana seeks commutation due to a lengthy delay.
- Special Bench comprises Justices Gavai, Mishra, and Viswanathan.
- SG Tushar Mehta emphasized the sensitivities of the case.
- Previous mercy petition was submitted by the SGPC.
New Delhi, Jan 19 (NationPress) The Supreme Court is scheduled to review a writ petition on Monday filed by Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict sentenced to death in the 1995 assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and others. Rajoana is seeking to have his death penalty commuted due to a delay exceeding 12 years in addressing his mercy petition.
According to the causelist available on the apex court's website, a Special Bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai, P.K. Mishra, and K.V. Viswanathan will continue the hearing on January 20.
In a previous session, the Justice Gavai-led Special Bench had granted the Union government an additional four weeks to review Rajoana’s mercy petition, deferring the hearing upon the request of Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, who emphasized the need for further inputs from relevant agencies due to the matter's sensitivities.
On November 18, the top court had urged President Droupadi Murmu to evaluate Rajoana's mercy petition within a two-week timeframe. It instructed the Secretary to the President of India to present Rajoana's petition, indicating that failure to reach a decision within the stipulated time would compel the court to review his request for interim release. Following SG Mehta's urgent mention, the Supreme Court decided not to upload its order.
Mehta requested that the order, issued without his presence, should remain unsigned and unposted due to the sensitivities involved.
He noted that the files related to Rajoana’s mercy petition were currently with the Union Home Ministry rather than the President’s Secretariat.
In May 2023, the Supreme Court rejected Rajoana’s earlier plea for commutation of his death penalty, stating, "It is within the domain of the Executive to take a call on such sensitive issues." It was highlighted that Rajoana had not personally submitted any mercy petition; the one from 2012 was initiated by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
Upon dismissing the plea, the apex court instructed that the appropriate authority would address the mercy petition as needed in the future.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and 16 others were killed in a bomb blast in August 1995, with numerous others injured. Rajoana was apprehended on January 27, 1996.
Rajoana, along with eight accomplices who conspired and executed the bombing, faced trial. In July 2007, the trial court convicted Rajoana alongside co-accused Jagtar Singh Hawara, Gurmeet Singh, Lakhwinder Singh, Shamsher Singh, and Nasib Singh.
The petitioner and co-accused Jagtar Singh Hawara received the death penalty. However, the High Court confirmed the conviction on December 10, 2010, while commuting Jagtar Singh’s death penalty to life imprisonment. Other co-accused appealed to the Supreme Court, but Rajoana did not pursue an appeal after the High Court's ruling.
