Court Defers hearing on Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara death sentence; Directs trial of Bhai Jagtar Singh Tara

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India today deferred hearing of CBI’s appeal against Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara in which the premier investigation agency of India has demanded restoration of death penalty against Bhai Hawara in Punjab CM Beant Singh assassination case.

It is notable that Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara was awarded death penalty in CM Beant Singh case by the trial court on July 31, 2007 but a Punjab and Haryana High Court bench led by then Justice Mehtab Singh Gill refused to put it’s stamp on capital punishment on Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara.

Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema, who was present during today’s hearing in the Supreme Court of India, told Sikh Siyasat News over phone that the court has clubbed two appeals for joint hearing.

“One appeal was filed by the CBI requesting restoration of death penalty against Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara, while the another appeal was filed by Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara challenging his conviction in CM Beant Singh assassination case. The case was heard by a division bench of the SCI, led by chief justice Tirath Singh”, said Advo. HS Cheema.

He said that the CBI was represented by Advo. Ranjeet Kumar, Solicitor General of India, while senior lawyer Sushil Kumar appeared on behalf of Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara.

As per information, SGI Ranjeet Kumar told the SCI that the trial of former CM Beant Singh assassination case has not yet concluded against Bhai Jagtar Singh Tara, who was re-arrested earlier this year after his escape from Burrail Jail Chandigarh in 2004.

The SGI said that Bhai Jagtar Singh Tara has given a “confessional statement” after his arrest but the trial could not resume against him as the record of the case was laying in the registry of the Supreme Court of India. He requested the court to direct the registry to send the case record to Chandigarh based trial court for Tara’s trial.

After hearing the CBI plea the court issued a direction to sent the concerned case record to the Chandigarh based trial court. The SCI also ordered resumption of trial against Bhai Jagtar Singh Tara.

Meanwhile, the hearing on appeals related to Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara was deferred. As per information no next date of hearing in this matter was fixed by the SCI during today’s proceedings.