The distance between Balwant Singh Rajoana and the gallows was reduced by a decision in another case on Wednesday with the Patiala court awarding him ten-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) under an Explosives Act. Rajoana is already on the death row in the assassination case of Punjab’s former Chief Minister Beant Singh.
Sentencing him to ten-year RI and a fine of `10,000 in a 1995 case pertaining to seizure of explosives from him at Rajpura ahead of the then Prime Minister’s visit, Patiala’s Additional Sessions Judge Sanjeev Beri fixed February 16 as the next date of hearing in another case registered against him under the Arms Act.
In default of payment of fine, he would have to undergo imprisonment for six more months. This case is significant as the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had referred to this case in a mercy plea filed by them with the President in an attempt to stay Rajoana’s execution, otherwise scheduled for March 31 last year.
Rajoana’s conviction, under section 5 of the Explosives Act, 1908, came two days after his statement was recorded.
In all, five prosecution witnesses were examined. Forty-six-year-old Rajoana had not engaged any lawyer to defend him maintaining that he had no faith in the Indian judicial system, something he had admitted during the trial of Beant Singh assassination case.
Additional Sessions Judge has also made it clear that Rajoana’s ten-year sentence would be adjusted against the period he has already stayed in the jail since the case was registered in 1995 and Rajoana has been behind bars ever since his arrest in this case and also in Beant Singh assassination case.
“However, as the period of detention already undergone by the convict in case, thus the court has ordered to be set off against this judgment,” reads the judgment.
With this, he may not have to spend any period behind bars in this matter. However, he is presently lodged at Patiala high security jail and waiting for Presidential order in the Beant Singh assassination case.
Punjab Police had arrested Rajoana, already declared as proclaimed offender after his involvement in the Beant Singh assassination case, on December 22, 1995 at Rajpura in Patiala district within four months after assassination of the then Chief Minister.
News Source: Daily Pioneer
