The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the execution of two men facing death sentence for killing a family of four in village Bhittewad of district Amritsar in Punjab in 2000 over a property dispute.
A Bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhan stayed the execution of convicts Gurvail Singh alias Gala and Jaj Singh, after admitting their petition challenging an order of the Punjab & Haryana High Court confirming the death sentence awarded to them by the trial court.
The duo was scheduled to be hanged in Amritsar on October 16. The trial judge signed the Black Warrants after the High Court judgement confirming death sentence became final due to non-filing of appeal by the convicts.
The Bench also issued notice to the Punjab Government seeking response to the convicts’ appeal.
The convicts were awarded death penalty in 2000 by the trial court, which held them guilty of murdering Kulwant Singh, his sons Gurwinder Singh and Davinder Singh and his wife Sarabjit Kaur on August 21, 2000 over a land dispute. The Punjab and Haryana High Court confirmed the capital punishment on September 22, 2006.
The two petitioners could not move the Supreme Court earlier against the High Court order due to poverty and the present petition has been filed with the help of Amritsar Police Administration, which made it possible for them to fight the last round of legal battle for their survival.
{{/usCountry}}The two petitioners could not move the Supreme Court earlier against the High Court order due to poverty and the present petition has been filed with the help of Amritsar Police Administration, which made it possible for them to fight the last round of legal battle for their survival.
{{/usCountry}}