Central Jail, Patiala, Punjab
Chandigarh, Punjab (March 27, 2012): Chandigarh Additional District and Sessions Judge Shalini Nagpal on Tuesday ordered the hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana, the assassin of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, on March 31, and also issued contempt of court notices to the jail superintendent and other jail officials of the Patiala jail for forwarding Rajoana’s death warrant to her court, saying the jail could not carry out Rajoana’s execution because the case was weak legally.
The Patiala Jail supeintendent has no option but to approach the high court in the matter. Judge Nagpal’s verdict was anounced even as security was stepped up across the state of Punjab.
It maybe recalled that Rajoana was involved in the assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh on August 31, 1995.
However, Rajaona has written a letter to the Akal Takht saying there was no need for anyone to seek clemency for him. He has also refused to accept any sympathy from the BJP, Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh or from Beant Singh’s family members.
In a letter to the Akal Takht, which he handed over to his sister Bibi Kamaldeep Kaur, Rajoana wrote, “I have fought for my rights all through my life. I do not want to give away my principles for anyone.”
Rajoana criticised politicians, especially the Akalis in his letter saying, “I neither trusted them (Akalis) nor believe them as they have failed to get justice from New Delhi. These leaders were mum till date, and suddenly, they are speaking for my clemency.”
“Asking for mercy from them is not even in my distant dreams,” Bhai Rajoana said in his letter.
With the Patiala jail authorities returning the death warrant for Rajoana’s hanging back to the Chandigarh court for the second time, the Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Shalini Nagpal reserved the final orders on deciding the execution for Tuesday.