Punjab & Haryana High Court Allows Death Row Convict In Former CM's Murder Case To Attend Brother's Last Rites In Custody

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has allowed death row convict in former Punjab CM Beant Singh murder case, Balwant Singh Rajoana to attend the bhog ceremony (last rites)  of his brother who recently passed away.

Justice Gurvinder Singh Gill said, "it goes without saying that death of a sibling i.e. a real brother would put the entire family in the state of shock and grief and under such circumstances, the petitioner can be extended the benefit of granting permission to attend the bhog ceremony of this brother so as to enable him to be with his family for a little while at this moment of grief."

However, the Court added that at the same time, it also goes without saying that having regard to "the seriousness of the offence for which he stands convicted, the State would be expected to make elaborate arrangements for security of the petitioner."

The Court allowed Rajoana to attend the bhog ceremony of this brother while in custody tomorrow i.e. 20.11.2024 between 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. at his village in Punjab's Ludhiana.

It directed the state authorities to make elaborate arrangements so as to take the petitioner from Central Jail, Patiala to Gurudwara in District Ludhiana so as to attend the bhog ceremony. 

Balwant Singh Rajoana, was sentenced to death for the 1995 assassination of the then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh under Sections 302 R/W 120-B, 307 R/W 120-B, 306 R/W 109/120-B IPC and Section 3(b) read with 6, 4(b), 2(i) read with Section 6/5(b)(ii) read with 6 of Explosive Substances Act).

It is pertinent to note that,  recently after an urgent mentioning made by the Solicitor General of India, the Supreme Court agreed to not upload the order which it passed on November 18, as per which the President was requested to take a decision on the mercy plea of Rajoana within two weeks.

 Mr. P.S.Hundal, Senior Advocate with Ms. Arshpreet kaur, Advocate, for the petitioner.

Mr. Charanjit Singh Bakshi, Addl. PP. U.T. Chandigarh. Mr. Siddharth Attri, AAG, Punjab.

Mr. Akashdeep Singh, Special PP, for respondent No.3.

Title: Balwant Singh v. Union Territory, Chandigarh and others

Click here to read/download the order