Beant Singh assassination: SC asks Centre to decide Rajoana's plea for commutation of death penalty

A bench headed by Justice Uday Umesh Lalit said the pendency of appeals of other co-convicts in the apex court in the case would not come in the way of authorities in deciding Rajoana's plea.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Central government to decide on the mercy petition of Balwan Singh Rajoana for commutation of his death sentence awarded for assassinating former Punjab CM Beant Singh in 1995, within two months. The court directed that pendency of an appeal of co-accused in the court would not be a factor in taking the decision.

The bench comprising of Justice UU Lalit, Justice Ravindra Bhat, and Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha was hearing a petition by Rajoanna who alleges inaction by the authorities in taking a final decision regarding his death sentence and contends that the death sentence is hanging on his head for years now. He is in jail for the past 25 years for assassinating Punjab's CM Beant Singh in an explosion back in 1995. He was convicted in 2007 and his mercy plea has been pending for around 10 years.

Rajoana himself had not filed any appeal against his conviction but many organizations did on his behalf. In the last hearing in March, the court had directed the Centre to take a decision by 30th April but no decision has been taken. Today, the court questioned why the final consequential order has not been taken yet.

"15 years I have spent on the death row," said senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for Rajoana. He also said that under Article 21 taking no decision on the mercy plea for 10 years is fraud and delay should be considered in the commutation of the death sentence now. "Why should I wait for the president now? I don't want to wait for the President," argued Rohatgi.

The top court ordered the concerned authorities to decide the matter at the earliest without considering the pending appeal of the co-accused in the matter.