Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu was brought to Patiala central jail on Friday after he surrendered to serve the one-year imprisonment awarded by the Supreme Court in a 1988 road rage death case.

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"He (Navjot Singh Sidhu) has surrendered himself before Chief Judicial Magistrate. He is under judicial custody. Medical examination and other legal procedures will be adopted," Surinder Dalla, media advisor to Sidhu told ANI.

Sidhu was acquitted in connection with the culpable homicide charges but was convicted of the offence of voluntarily causing hurt. The court had slapped a fine of Rs 1,000 on Sidhu and also acquitted Sidhu`s associate, Rupinder Singh Sandhu in the case.

The Sessions Court Judge of Patiala on September 22, 1999, acquitted Sidhu and his associate, due to lack of evidence in the case and giving the benefit of the doubt.

It was then challenged by the victim`s families before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had in 2006, convicted and sentenced Sidhu to three years imprisonment. Sidhu then filed an appeal before the apex court challenging this order. On December 27, 1988 Sidhu allegedly beat Gurnam Singh on his head, leading to his death.

Here’s how a day in Patiala Jail looks like for Navjot Singh Sidhu: 

  1. 5:30 am: Day begins early in prison
  2. 7 am: They start with biscuits or black chickpeas with tea
  3. 8:30 am: A brunch of six chapatis, dal or vegetables is served for inmates before they start the work
  4. 5:30 pm: Prisoners finish work allotted as per their category
  5. 6 pm: Dinner is served with six chapatis, lentils/veggies
  6. 7 pm: Inmates get locked inside their barracks

Navjot Singh Sidhu, when he was an active international cricketer, had allegedly thrashed 65-year-old Gurnam Singh after an altercation on the road. The incident took place on December 27, 1988. According to reports, he had hit him on his head which later led to his death.

The case had dragged on for over 33 years, from sessions court to the Supreme Court. The sessions court of Patiala, on September 22, 1999, acquitted Navjot Singh Sidhu citing lack of evidence and giving the benefit of the doubt.

The victim's family, however, pursued the case to higher courts. In 2007, Sidhu was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He then challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court.

In 2018, Sidhu was convicted of causing voluntary hurt but was acquitted on the culpable homicide charges. The Supreme Court let him off with a fine of Rs 1,000.

Later, the victim's family filed a review plea against the quantum of the sentence. Sidhu had opposed the plea seeking to enlarge the scope of the case citing earlier order of the apex court which held there was no evidence that the death of the victim was caused by a single blow.

(with inputs from ANI)