High Court rejects Hawara’s bail plea

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 4

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has refused to grant bail to the then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh’s assassin Jagtar Singh Hawara in a case registered by the Chandigarh Police.

Among other things, his counsel contended that Hawara was in custody for the past more than 15 years and the trial was yet to commence with regard to him. The other co-accused in the FIR had already been acquitted vide judgment dated May 27, 2010.

Taking up the matter, Justice Alka Sarin observed Hawara was seeking regular bail in the FIR registered on July 11, 2005, for waging or attempting to wage war against the Government of India and other offences under Sections 121, 121-A, 122, 153 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, besides provisions of the Arms Act and the Explosive Substances Act registered at the Sector 17 police station.

Dismissing the petition, Justice Sarin asserted the undisputed facts were that multiple cases were registered against the petitioner. One of the cases he has been convicted related to the assassination of the then Chief Minister Beant Singh. He was sentenced to undergo life imprisonment with a specific direction that he should not be released from prison for the rest of his life.

In the present case, there were serious allegations against the petitioner of waging war against the Government of India and indulging in revival of terrorism and formation of Khalistan.

“I do not find this to be a fit case for grant of regular bail to the petitioner. The petition is hence dismissed,” Justice Sarin asserted.

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