Balwant Singh Rajoana has been given death sentence for his role in the assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. A Chandigarh sessions court on Tuesday ruled the hanging of the culprit on March 31.
The court also has slapped contempt of court case on Lakhwinder Singh Jhakkar, the Jail Superintendent of Patiala prison, for refusing to hang him earlier. He had moved court seeking deferment of Rajoana's death sentence.
The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab had demanded clemency for the Beant Singh killer. The family of the deceased also favoured clemency but Rajoana declined it by saying that they are playing politics with his death.
"I do not want any help from any blue-turbaned Akali leader who have not done anything to get the justice for the Sikhs," IBNS quoted Rajoana as saying. He also issued a letter to the media saying that he didn't need the support and sympathy of any political party or the kins of Beant Singh.
Rajoana was the substitute suicide bomber in case his associate Dilawar Singh failed to kill the former chief minister.
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court had earlier awarded death sentence to Rajoana and Jagtar Singh Hawara, the mastermind of the August 31, 1995 assassination.
(Inputs from IBNS)
