1988 Road Rage Case: Navjot Singh Sidhu acquitted by Supreme Court; Punjab Minister fined with Rs 1000 for 'causing injury'
1988 Road Rage Case: Congress' Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu acquitted by Supreme Court; fined Rs 1000 for 'causing injury'
The Supreme Court on Tuesday acquitted Congress leader and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu of a culpable homicide charge in a 1988 road rage case.
Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu convicted under section 323 and acquitted under section 304( (II) in 1988 Patiala road rage case by Supreme Court.
However, the apex court found him guilty of causing simple injury and imposed a fine of rupees 1000, without any jail term.
Navjot Singh Sidhu acquitted under section 304 (II){culpable homicide not amounting to murder} and convicted under section 323(punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) in 1988 road rage case by Supreme Court.
Sidhu has been convicted under Section 323 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) which says whosoever voluntarily causes hurt, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.
Cricketer turned poltician, Sidhu and Sandhu were initially tried for murder, but the trial court in September 1999 acquitted the Congress leader. However, the HC reversed the verdict and held them guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Earlier in April, the Congress government in Punjab has asked the apex court to uphold Sidhu's conviction in the decades-old case.
According to the prosecution, Navjot Singh Sidhu and co-convict Rupinder Singh Sandhu were allegedly present in a Gypsy parked near Sheranwala Gate crossing in Patiala on December 27, 1988, while Gurnam Singh was on his way to a bank in a Maruti car with two others. As Gurnam asked the Gypsy occupants to give them way, the duo beat him up and fled. Gurnam was taken to a hospital, where he was declared dead, reports The Tribune.