Key accused in ex-CM Beant Singh murder case, Balwant Singh Rajoana. (Express Photo by Harmeet Sodhi/File)The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to inform it by Friday the status of the mercy plea filed by Balwant Singh Rajoana, sentenced to death for the assassination of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh.
A bench presided by Chief Justice of India U U Lalit said the court had given the Centre two months to take a call when it heard the matter last on May 2, but no decision had been taken yet.
“We gave you two months. And now, two more months have passed. You raised two technical issues. We told you, please don’t wait for that…The moment we pass that direction, they have to consider that mercy petition…Can’t force you to take what decision. But you have to take a decision,” the bench also comprising Justices S Ravindra Bhat and J B Pardiwala told additional solicitor-general K M Nataraj, who appeared for the central government.
“The time of two months granted in the May 2 order has expired long back. However, as submitted by additional solicitor-general K M Nataraj, decision not taken by concerned authorities,” the bench said in its order.
The court directed that “in the meanwhile, an affidavit…be filed by a responsible officer from the department indicating progress in the matter”. It added that the affidavit should be filed on Thursday.
A former constable of the Punjab police, Rajaona was convicted for his role in the explosion outside the state civil secretariat that killed Beant Singh on August 31, 1995. Sixteen others were also killed in the bombing. A special court sentenced him to death in July 2007, and the verdict was upheld by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in October 2010.