Satya Prakash
New Delhi, January 8
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre to decide by January 26 Balwant S Rajoana’s plea for commutating the death penalty awarded to him in former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh’s assassination case.
Convicted of assassinating Beant Singh in 1995, Rajoana has been in jail for 25 years awaiting his execution.
The former Punjab chief minister and 16 others were killed in an explosion outside the Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh in 1995.
Rajaona was sentenced to death in 2007 by a special court. His mercy petition under Article 72 of the Constitution is hanging fire for eight years.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde said the decision had to be taken before the Republic Day, which is a “good date”.