Road rage case: Sidhu upset, says Punjab govt didn’t consult him before moving SC

A day after the Punjab government favoured a court verdict convicting Navjot Singh Sidhu in a 1998 road rage case, the local bodies minister on Friday said he was not consulted by the government before going to the Supreme Court.

“You ask Punjab CM (Capt Amarinder Singh) or advocate general (Atul Nanda), as to how they took up the plea in the Supreme court without consulting me,” said a visibly upset Sidhu.

“Couldn’t have taken any other stand in SC on Navjot Sidhu issue, says @capt_amarinder, but hopes judge will take into consideration the contribution of @sherryontopp to the country in deciding the case. (sic)”Raveen Thukral, CM’s media adviser, tweeted

The case against Sidhu was heard by the Supreme Court on Thursday, where the state government favoured the Punjab and Haryana high court verdict convicting and awarding a three-year jail term to Sidhu.

To a question about a news channel quoting him saying that he was backstabbed by the Punjab government, Sidhu refused to comment.

“Whether I am unhappy, shocked, astonished or hurt or whatever it is on account of what the Punjab government has said in the SC, my shoulders are strong enough to carry that burden ...If there is any burden, I will prefer to carry on my shoulders,” said Sidhu.

The minister also cautioned people against jumping to a conclusion, saying last word on the matter has not been heard. “This is a 30-year-old matter. There is some time left for the conclusion of this matter. It will be concluded with the majesty of law. I have submitted to the majesty of law.”

As far as what the Punjab government said in the Supreme Court, Sidhu said: “It was said openly. Everything has come before all. What is left for me to say?”

The Punjab government on Thursday opposed Sidhu’s plea to overturn his conviction in the 1998 road rage case in which a man, Gurnam Singh of Ghalouri village near Patiala, had died allegedly after being beaten up by Sidhu and his friend Rupinder Singh Sandhu.

A trial court in Patiala acquitted Sidhu and Sandhu, but in 2006 the HC reserved the finding and declared them guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, sentencing them for three years in jail. Sidhu moved the SC challenging HC orders, which stayed the conviction. Sidhu, who was then MP from Amritsar, resigned and went for repoll after the apex court stayed the HC orders.

On Thursday, state counsel Sangram Singh Saron told a SC bench of justices J Chelameswar and Sanjay Kishan Kaul that the trial court’s verdict was unreasonable and was rightly reversed by the Punjab and Haryana high court.

(With PTI inputs)