Look into Rajoana's petition: Supreme Court to Centre

New Delhi, March 25

The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to immediately look into the mercy plea of Balwant Singh Rajoana for commuting the death penalty awarded to him in former CM Beant Singh’s assassination case.

“The matter shall immediately be looked into by the authorities concerned, including the Government of India, and the CBI,” a three-judge Bench led by Justice UU Lalit ordered on Thursday. Convicted of assassinating Beant Singh in 1995, Rajoana has been in jail for 25 years awaiting execution. His mercy petition has been hanging fire for more than eight years.

The Bench said despite the Centre seeking time to spell out its stand, “nothing has been done in the matter and the learned counsel appearing for Union of India has no clear instructions in the matter”. The top court ordered the CBI to make the proposal for or against commutation of death penalty in two weeks. —