Hawara let off in 19-yr-old RDX case

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 31

Additional Sessions Judge Sanjiv Joshi today acquitted Jagtar Singh Hawara, former Chief Minister Beant Singh’s assassin, in an RDX recovery case registered against him 19 years ago. Hawara was facing accusation of possessing 7 kg RDX (highly explosive substance) and 12 kg zelatin.

The court held that the prosecution failed to prove the charges levelled against the accused. The prosecution had maintained that the accused had, during interrogation in another Arms Act case, confessed to have concealed the RDX and zelatin. He was alleged to have apprised that he kept concealed the explosives near Punjab Wool Complex, Dhandari Kalan railway station.

In pursuance of his disclosure statement, the police took Hawara to the spot and he got recovered the explosives. Thereafter, Hawara was booked under Section 4/5 of Explosives Act on December 28, 1995, at Focal Point police station following the statement of then SHO Gurinderjit Singh. However, the accused had pleaded innocence and false implication. The defence lawyer had assailed the prosecution story with the claim that there were glaring contradictions regarding the mode of recovery of explosives in the testimony of investigating officer and other witnesses.