Chandigarh, August 30
Already awarded death sentence in the Beant Singh assassination case, Jagtar Singh Hawara, along with four other convicts, were today sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) by UT district and sessions judge Ravi Kumar Sondhi in the Bhajan Lal assassination bid case.

The others handed down the sentenced in the 12-yr-old case are: Malak Singh, Hakam Singh, Kulbir Singh and Gurjit Singh. The orders were pronounced in the absence of media at Model Jail in Burail here.

Giving the details of the sentence, advocate Suraj Bhan Hooda, who represented Haryana State in the case, said: “Six of the accused were found guilty on August 28. One of the convicts, Narinder Kaur, was set free after she was sentenced to a period of three years in jail, which she had already undergone. She paid the fine and left for Matheri Shekan village in Ambala that day.”

Unlike the hearing of Beant Singh assassination case, there were no Sikh radicals and kin of those convicted outside the premises of the jail. The security was also not put on alert this time.

Defence counsel A.S. Chahal said: “The judge has pronounced 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 each to Jagtar Singh Hawara, Malak Singh, Hakam Singh, Kulbir Singh and Gurjit Singh.”

Among the kin of those convicted, brother of Kulbir Singh and son of Hakam Singh had come to the jail but were not allowed to meet them by the security personnel.

“They had brought clothes for them but could not meet them,” said Chahal. Defence lawyers were also fewer in numbers today. Though discussion on the quantum of sentence was expected today, nothing much was said. Only the judgement was pronounced at the Burail Jail.