Hearing against Sidhu in SC today: Review petition in 1988 road rage case; Demand for punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder

Hearing against Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Sidhu will be held in the Supreme Court today. This case pertains to the 1988 Patiala Road Rage. Where the elderly had a fight with Sidhu and his friend Rupinder Singh over parking. In which a 65-year-old man died. Sidhu was convicted in this case by the High Court but the Supreme Court had dismissed the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Now Sidhu’s political career in Punjab may also be at stake due to the Supreme Court’s decision. On one hand he is contesting against Akali stalwart Bikram Majithia in Amritsar East. On the other hand, the CM face of Congress in Punjab is staking claim.

Quitting the campaign on Wednesday, suddenly Sidhu reached the court of Mata Vaishno Devi.

27 December 1988 case

The road rage case against Sidhu dates back to the year 1988. Sidhu got into a fight with a 65-year-old man named Gurnam Singh over parking in Patiala. It is alleged that there was a scuffle between them. In which Sidhu punched Gurnam Singh. Later Gurnam Singh died. Police registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against Navjot Singh Sidhu and his friend Rupinder Singh Sidhu.

Sessions Court acquitted, High Court punished

Thereafter the matter reached the court. During the hearing, the sessions court had acquitted Navjot Singh Sidhu in 1999 citing lack of evidence. After this, the aggrieved party reached the High Court against the decision of the Sessions Court. In the year 2006, the High Court sentenced Navjot Singh Sidhu to three years imprisonment and a fine of one lakh rupees in this case.

Supreme Court waived off by imposing a fine

Navjot Singh Sidhu reached the Supreme Court against the sentence given by the High Court. On May 16, 2018, the Supreme Court acquitted Sidhu under section 304IPC for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. However, in the case of Section 323 IPC i.e. causing hurt, Sidhu was convicted. He did not get a prison sentence for this. Sidhu was released after paying a fine of only one thousand rupees.

This demand of the victim’s family

Against this decision of the Supreme Court, the family of the deceased has now filed a review petition. They demand that like the High Court, Sidhu should be punished under 304IPC. The Supreme Court accepted this petition. A bench of Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice SK Kaul will hear it in the Supreme Court at around 3.30 pm today.