Supreme Court Directs Indian Government to Respond to Balwant Singh Rajoana's Plea in Beant Singh Assassination Case
Beant Singh assassination case: SC asks Centre to file affidavit on Rajoana's plea
The Economic Times
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The Supreme Court of India has ordered the central government to submit an affidavit regarding Balwant Singh Rajoana's plea for commutation of his death sentence related to the 1995 assassination of Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. Rajoana has spent over 29 years in prison, with more than 15 years on death row, and his mercy petition remains unresolved.
- 01The Supreme Court has given the Indian government two weeks to respond to Rajoana's plea.
- 02Rajoana has been imprisoned for over 29 years, including more than 15 years on death row.
- 03His mercy petition, submitted by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, has been pending since March 2012.
- 04The Supreme Court previously instructed authorities to expedite the decision on pending mercy petitions.
- 05The assassination of Beant Singh and 16 others occurred in a 1995 bombing in Chandigarh.
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The Supreme Court of India has instructed the central government to file an affidavit within two weeks regarding Balwant Singh Rajoana's plea for the commutation of his death sentence. Rajoana, who was convicted in the 1995 assassination of Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, has been incarcerated for over 29 years, including more than 15 years on death row. His plea, supported by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), seeks clemency due to the prolonged delay in addressing his mercy petition, which has been pending since March 2012. The Supreme Court had previously emphasized the need for timely decisions on mercy petitions and had directed the competent authorities to expedite the process. The court's latest order comes after Rajoana highlighted the extensive time he has spent in jail without resolution of his case. The Supreme Court has made it clear that no further extensions will be granted for the government’s response.
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The outcome of Rajoana's plea could set a precedent for how mercy petitions are handled in India, particularly in high-profile cases involving terrorism and political violence.
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