The Supreme Court docket on Wednesday declined to commute the demise penalty of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh’s murderer Balwant Singh Rajoana to life imprisonment. Rajoana, a convict within the 1995 assassination case of Beant Singh, has been in jail for the previous 26 years.
A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath and Sanjay Karol stated the competent authority will determine the plea of the convict in search of mercy.
On March 2, the Supreme Court docket had reserved its verdict on the plea of Rajoana after listening to the submissions of senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, showing for the convict, and Further Solicitor Basic KM Natraj.
Rajoana, a former Punjab Police constable, was convicted for his involvement within the explosion that passed off exterior the Punjab civil secretariat on August 31, 1995, killing Beant Singh and 16 others.
A particular courtroom sentenced him to demise in July 2007.