SGPC Refuses to Withdraw Mercy Petition for Beant Singh's Assassin

SGPC's Decision on Mercy Petition

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has announced that it will not retract the mercy petition filed on behalf of Balwant Singh Rajoana, who was convicted for the assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.

Rajoana has been sentenced to death in this case. The SGPC reached this conclusion after consulting with legal experts.

Previously, Rajoana had requested the SGPC to withdraw his petition.

Legal Experts' Consensus

On Saturday, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami informed reporters that all legal experts unanimously agreed that the mercy petition should remain intact and that the legal battle should continue.

Dhami stated, 'All lawyers advised against withdrawing the petition. We need to observe the government's stance on this matter.'

He criticized the central government's ongoing inaction regarding the petition, emphasizing the seriousness of the issue and the necessity for a clear stance.

Background of the Case

The SGPC has been engaged in a prolonged legal struggle regarding this case, which they believe reflects a violation of human rights due to governmental inaction.

The meeting included prominent lawyers such as Puran Singh Hundal, G.S. Bal, Amar Singh Chahal, Rajvinder Singh Bains, Sikh scholar Dr. Kehar Singh, and former IAS officer Kahan Singh Pannu.

The bombing at the Civil Secretariat entrance in Chandigarh on August 31, 1995, resulted in the deaths of Beant Singh and 16 others. A special court sentenced Rajoana to death in July 2007.

In March 2012, the SGPC filed a mercy petition on Rajoana's behalf under Article 72 of the Constitution. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court directed the central government to make a decision regarding this petition.