CHANDIGARH: The Supreme Court has asked the central government to take an early decision on the plea of commutation of the sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana, who was sentenced to death in the former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh murder case.
The Supreme Court said- According to the order of May 2, the time given for taking the decision of two months has ended long ago. Whatever decision you take, it should be done quickly.
Meanwhile, the court has asked the government to file an affidavit by tomorrow and tell how much progress has been made in this regard.
Let us tell you that according to the statement given in the court of Balwant Singh Rajoana, he and Punjab Police SPO Dilawar Singh had killed the then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh in a bomb blast. Dilawar Singh attacked as a human bomb and Rajoana was behind him. If Dilawar failed, Rajoana had to attack.
Rajoana was sentenced to death by a CBI court on 1 August 2007. Rajoana refused to appeal to the High Court.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee took their case forward in the High Court. Rajoana was to be hanged on 31 March 2012, but Shiromani Samiti, Akali Dal, Sikh and human rights organizations campaigned vigorously to reduce the death penalty.
Protests took place across Punjab to stop the hanging. On 28 March 2012, the then President Pratibha Patil had stayed the execution of Rajoana indefinitely on the recommendation of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Now the central government has to decide how much relief should be given to Rajoana. The Supreme Court has asked the Center several times to take a decision on this. Now the court has asked the government to file an affidavit by tomorrow and tell how much progress has been made in this regard.