The Supreme Court Thursday sentenced former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Navjot Singh Sidhu to a one-year rigorous imprisonment jail term for the death of a 65-year-old man in 1988 in a road rage incident, the deceased’s family said “justice was finally meted” to them.
1988: On December 27, 1988, Navjot Sidhu and co-accused Rupinder Singh Sandhu alias Bunny were in a Gypsy when they had an altercation with Gurnam Singh, a Patiala resident, after he asked them to give way. The incident took place near Sheranwala Gate in Patiala, Sidhu’s hometown. Police said that 65-year-old Gurnam was beaten up by Sidhu, who later fled the crime scene. Gurnam was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead.
1999: In September 1999, trial court acquits Sidhu and Bunny.
2006: In December 2006, Punjab and Haryana High Court holds Sidhu and Bunny guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and sentences them to three years in jail.
2007: Sidhu and Bunny challenge the high court verdict in the Supreme Court, which stays the conviction pending appeal.
2018: Supreme Court holds Sidhu guilty for voluntarily causing hurt to Gurnam, reversing the Punjab and Haryana High Court verdict, and acquits Sidhu from culpable homicide not amounting to murder charge. In a verdict on May 15, 2018, Sidhu is fined Rs 1,000 under Section 323 of the Indian Penal Code. The SC takes into account that the incident was 30 years old, there was no enmity between the accused and deceased and that no weapon was used by the accused.
2018: Gurnam’s family moves Supreme Court with a review petition to treat the offence as more serious than just causing hurt and seeks punishment. Supreme Court accepts petition in September 2018.
2022: On May 19, Supreme Court awards one-year jail term to Navjot Singh Sidhu.