New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to commute the dying penalty of Balwant Singh Rajoana, who was convicted within the 1995 assassination case of then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, to life imprisonment. Rajoana has been in jail for the previous 26 years.
A bench comprising Justices B R Gavai, Vikram Nath and Sanjay Karol mentioned the competent authority will resolve the plea of the convict looking for mercy. On March 2, the highest courtroom had reserved its verdict on the plea of Rajoana after listening to the submissions of senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, showing for the convict, and Additional Solicitor General Ok M Natraj.
Rajoana, a former Punjab Police constable, was convicted for his involvement within the explosion that occurred outdoors the Punjab civil secretariat on August 31, 1995, killing Beant Singh and 16 others. A particular courtroom sentenced him to dying in July 2007.
