Hawara acquitted in 24-yr-old blast case

Rajneesh Lakhanpal

Legal Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 9

The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Atul Kasana today acquitted Jagtar Singh Hawara, the assassin of former Chief Minister Beant Singh, in a 24-year-old case of bomb blast that took place near Clock Tower here.

Pronouncing the verdict, the court held the prosecution failed to prove the charges levelled against the accused. Hawara was accused of conspiring the bomb blast in which 23 persons were injured, besides attempt to murder.

A case was registered on December 6, 1995, at Kotwal police station. Hawara was nominated in this case on December 11, 1995.

The police had filed a chargsheet on August 5,1996. Another accused Bikramjit Singh was acquitted by the then Additional Sessions Judge Sunil Arora.

Two more accused Baljinder Singh and Pritam Singh were declared proclaimed offenders. While one another accused Paramjit Singh Bheora was discharged by the local court on September 30, 2016.

The case proceedings began following an application moved by Hawara’s lawyer Jaspal Singh Manjpur on May 26, 2015. The court had framed charges against him on May 12, 2017. The prosecution concluded its evidence on April 29, 2019, but none of the injured witnesses identified him in the court. The accused had pleaded innocence and claimed false implication. The defence lawyer also assailed the prosecution story with the claim that there were glaring contradictions in the case. After hearing the arguments of both parties, the court acquitted Hawara, giving him benefit of doubt.