Beant Singh’s assassination: Life convict’s bail plea to come up for hearing on July 6

The bail plea of Shamsher Singh, one of the convicts in the assassination case of former chief minister of Punjab Beant Singh, will come up for hearing in the court of chief judicial magistrate, Chandigarh, on July 6

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A view of District Court Complex at Sector 43 Chandigarh. (HT File)

The bail plea of Shamsher Singh, one of the convicts in the assassination case of former chief minister of Punjab Beant Singh, will come up for hearing in the court of chief judicial magistrate, Chandigarh, on July 6.

Beant Singh was killed in an explosion outside the civil secretariat in Chandigarh on August 31, 1995. The special CBI court awarded the death penalty to Balwant Rajoana in July 2007. It also awarded the death penalty to Jagtar Singh Hawara, while three convicts-- Gurmeet Singh, Lakhwinder Singh, and Shamsher Singh -- were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Earlier, on May 10 and June 2, the CJM had released Lakhwinder Singh and Gurmeet Singh – both sentenced to life in this case— on interim bail.

In mid-June, Shamsher, a native of Patiala, also moved the local court for his release on bail as the UT administration has not decided on his premature release petition. He has been behind bars for over 27 years since his arrest in 1995.

Advocate Amar Singh Chahal, representing Shamsher, said that three months have passed, and the UT administration is yet to decide on the premature release petition filed by Shamsher.

“The Punjab and Haryana high court has issued clear directions that in such cases, where decisions are pending, the chief judicial magistrate, can release the convicts of life imprisonments on bail,” he said.