Navjot Singh Sidhu May Face Jail as Supreme Court Re-Opens 1988 Road Rage Case
The top court has asked the Congress leader to show cause on why he should not receive harsher punishment.
New Delhi, Sep 12: In a major setback for Navjot Singh Sidhu, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered to re-open the 1988 road rage case against the Punjab Congress minister. The apex court issed a notice to Navjot Singh Sidhu after the victim's family filed a review petition seeking a modification of its earlier order. The top court has asked the Congress leader to show cause on why he should not receive harsher punishment.
The road rage incident dates back to December 27, 1988, when Sidhu had allegedly slapped 65-year-old man Gurnam Singh after an altercation on the road over parking in Patiala, resulting in the latter's death. The Supreme Court on May 15 had acquitted Sidhu in the culpable homicide case and spared him from the jail term -- awarded to him by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2006 in the 1988 road rage case.
The Sessions Court Judge of Patiala on September 22, 1999, had acquitted Sidhu and his associate, Rupinder Singh Sandhu, due to lack of evidence. The trial court had acquitted Sidhu, whereas the Punjab and Haryana High Court reversed his acquittal, convicting him for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The apex court had acquitted Sidhu with a nominal fine of Rs 1,000. The Punjab government sought his conviction in the road rage case.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 12, 2018 06:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).