Supreme Court Questions Delay In Beant Singh Killer's Execution

Supreme Court Questions Delay In Beant Singh Assassin's Execution

Rajoana's petition included a request for his release among other relief sought.

New Delhi:

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court inquired why Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted and sentenced to death for the 1995 assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, had not yet been executed after the Centre described it as a "serious offence."

Rajoana has spent 29 years in prison, including 15 years on death row.

The bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria was briefed about the crime's gravity by Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj.

"Why did you not hang him till now? Who is responsible for that? At least, we have not stayed the execution," the bench questioned Mr Nataraj.

The Supreme Court is currently reviewing Rajoana's petition seeking commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment based on the prolonged delay in deciding his mercy plea.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Rajoana, pointed out that no decision has been made on his client's mercy petition.

Mr Nataraj stated he would seek instructions and inform the court about the current status.

"One does not know what is happening," Mr Rohatgi remarked, adding that the Supreme Court had previously emphasized that mercy petitions should be decided in a timely manner.

He expressed uncertainty about whether Rajoana was in solitary confinement or in a sound mental state.

"If the death sentence has to be revoked, commutation must occur. If commutation happens, he can be released," Mr Rohatgi stated.

Asserting that Rajoana is an Indian citizen, Mr Rohatgi emphasized this was not an "India-Pakistan issue."

He noted that the Supreme Court had observed that Rajoana did not personally file the mercy petition; rather, it was submitted by a gurdwara committee.

The bench scheduled the case for October 15 and affirmed that the matter would not be postponed at the Centre's request.

On January 20, the Supreme Court had directed the Centre to make a decision regarding his mercy petition.

The Centre had then referenced the sensitivity of the matter and stated that the mercy petition was under consideration.

On September 25 last year, the Supreme Court sought responses from the Centre, Punjab government, and Chandigarh administration regarding Rajoana's petition.

The former Punjab Chief Minister and 16 others were killed in an explosion at the entrance of the civil secretariat in Chandigarh on August 31, 1995. A special court sentenced Rajoana to death in July 2007.

Rajoana's petition included, among other requests, a direction for his release.

On May 3, 2023, the Supreme Court declined to commute his death sentence and stated that the competent authority could address his mercy plea.

In his recent petition, Rajoana highlighted having served 28.8 years in prison, including over 15 years as a death row convict.

He mentioned that in March 2012, a mercy petition under Article 72 of the Constitution was submitted by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee seeking clemency on his behalf.