SC reserves verdict on plea for enhancing Sidhu's sentence in 1988 road rage case
Darpan News Desk IANS, 25 Mar, 2022 10:20 AM
New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday reserved its verdict on a review petition seeking a direction to enhance the sentence of Congress' former Punjab unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu in the 1988 road rage case, where he was let off with a mere Rs 1,000 fine.
Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, representing Sidhu, submitted before a bench headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar that sentence was a discretion of court and no interference, could be done, except in cases of death penalty, given in rarest of the rare cases, and in the present case, there is no need to have a relook at the 2018 judgment.
"Appeal on adequacy of sentence should not be entertained. The state is not in appeal against the sentence and the victim cannot challenge the adequacy," he submitted.
He further added that there has been no allegation of lack of cooperation on the part of his client.
The bench, also comprising Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, noted that the issue before it is only whether despite the court having issued limited notice on point of sentence, the provision under which sentence has been imposed needs to be looked at.
"Whether the sentence which was restricted to fine needs to be enhanced with the actual sentence also?" it said.
Pointing to the 34-year-old incident, Singhvi said it is an extraordinary case which does not merit consideration.
The bench reserved the judgment after hearing detailed arguments in the matter. The plea was filed by the kin of the deceased, Gurnam Singh seeking a relook on the 2018 judgment.
Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing the victim's family, submitted the death due to cardiac arrest is not correct, and a blow was delivered on the victim. Singhvi vehemently argued that it is extremely doubtful that an injury, caused by a fist blow, could have led to the death.
Luthra argued that the 2018 judgment failed to consider the previous decision in the case of Richhpal Singh Meena vs Ghasi (2014). He added that, in this case, the top court was of the view that when there is death of a human being, it may either be culpable homicide (amounting or not amounting to murder) or not culpable homicide.
He said offences affecting life are distinct from the offence of hurt, and added if hurt results in death, the offence would fall within the category of an offence affecting life.
The top courtAwas hearing a review petition against its 2018 verdict which reduced the sentence of Sidhu to a Rs 1,000 fine from 3-year imprisonment in a road rage incident in which a person died.
The BJP in Punjab on Sunday supported the demand of people belonging to the general category for the formation of a general category commission and a welfare board. They have been staging protests against the government over their demands since November 26.
Mirroring the high acceptance levels of vaccination shown in CVoter Covid Vaccine Tracker, more than 89 lakh vaccines were administered in past 24 hours, as per the data released by Health Ministry. India's cumulative Covid-19 vaccination coverage (Dose 1+ Dose 2) has now exceeded 133 crore.
Reacting to the appointment of Sidhu as the Chairman of the Congress Election Committee for Punjab, with Channi being made to work under him, Amarinder said it was unprecedented that a Chief Minister was made subservient to the PCC president.
The store promises everything for your home to help you do more with every space in the house. From the 8000-9000 products available at the Worli City Store, over 2,200 products will be available for direct take away and the rest will be home delivered.
To ensure that the illegal sand mining is effectively nipped in the bud and prices of sand remain constant at the government fixed rates of Rs 5.50 per cubic feet, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi has announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for violation of norms.
With 17 gun salutes by tri-services personnel, the last rites of India's first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, and his wife, Madulika Rawat, were performed with full military honours at Brar Square in Delhi Cantonment on Friday. The tri-services buglers played 'Last Post' followed by 'Rouse' just before the funeral pyres were lit by their daughter.
