The move comes as a setback to Sidhu, who currently is a minister in the Punjab government
Four months after cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu thanked the Supreme Court for letting him off in a road rage death case after a fine of Rs 1,000, the apex court revived the controversy by deciding to have a fresh look on the punishment given to Sidhu.
The move comes as a setback to Sidhu, who currently is a minister in the Punjab government. The order came on a review petition filed by the family of the victim who died as a result of the road rage case involving Sidhu on December 27, 1988 in Patiala, Punjab.
The case witnessed several twists as the trial court acquitted Sidhu and his accomplice in the crime Rupinder Singh Sandhu on August 18, 1994. The state appealed to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which reversed the acquittal and held both persons guilty of culpable homicide in December 2006.
Curtains were finally brought down on the case on May 15, 2018 when the Supreme Court set aside the HC decision and found no evidence to fasten guilt on the duo under the grave charge of culpable homicide punishable under Section 304(Part II) under the Indian Penal Code. Since it was established that Sidhu gave a fist blow on the 65-year old victim Jaswinder Singh, he was held guilty of voluntary causing hurt under IPC Section 323. This offence is punishable with either a one-year jail term or a fine of Rs 1,000. The court chose the latter and allowed Sidhu to walk out of the case.
But on Tuesday, the review petition by the victim's kin came up before a two-judge bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and Sanjay Kishan Kaul. The petition was decided in chambers by the two judges who were of the view that the judgment deserved a relook only to the extent of awarding punishment to Sidhu. Issuing notice on the review petition to the victim, Punjab government and Sidhu, the bench said, "Issue notice restricted to quantum of sentence qua respondent no. 1 – Navjot Singh Sidhu." This order will not affect the position with regard to the other accused.
While awarding Rs 1,000 fine as punishment for Sidhu, the SC in its May 15 judgment weighed the fact that the matter had prolonged for 30 years, there was no past enmity between Sidhu and the victim, and no weapon was used.
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