BMW Murder Case: Punjab and Haryana High Court suspends Harmehtab Singh’s sentence

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 7

Nearly six years after former Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s relative Akansh Sen was crushed to death under the wheels of a BMW car in Sector 9, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today allowed suspension of sentence plea filed by Harmehtab Singh, alias Farid, during the appeal’s pendency. Harmehtab stands convicted in the case.

The matter was placed before the Division Bench of Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa and Justice Sanjiv Berry. A detailed order in the matter was not yet available.

Seeking suspension of sentence, senior advocate Vinod Ghai with Kanika Ahuja contended the applicant had been made a scapegoat just because the main accused driving the vehicle was declared proclaimed offender and was never arrested. The prosecution was under immense pressure due to the accidental death of the then sitting CM’s nephew.

An FIR in the matter was registered on February 9, 2017, for attempt to murder and another offence under Sections 307 and 34 of the IPC at Sector 3 police station. Victim Akansh was allegedly hit and dragged under the wheels of the BMW in Sector 9. Following the incident, the police had slapped murder charges against two accused — Balraj Singh and Harmehtab Singh

Referring to the events as narrated in the FIR, one of the accused had earlier claimed in his anticipatory bail plea the victim, along with another person, had visited the house of Deep Sidhu early morning to enquire about a friend Shera.

They were apprehending that Shera and Harmehtab were together in the house. It was then that Balraj Singh got into his car with Harmehtab, sitting in the passenger seat, and drove the car over the victim.

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