SC reserves verdict on Sidhu in 1988 road rage case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its judgment on the appeal filed by cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court verdict which convicted and sentenced him to three-year jail in the 1988 road rage case. He was acquitted of murder charges by a trial court in September, 1999.
After hearing the arguments from Sidhu’s counsel R S Cheema, apex court bench comprising Justice J Chelameswar and Sanjay Krishna Kaul reserved the verdict.
Counsel Cheema said the medical opinion regarding the cause of death of deceased, Gurnam Singh was vague. He also said that the evidence brought on record regarding the cause of death of the victim was “indefinite and contradictory.”
The bench also reserved its judgment on the appeal filed by Rupinder Singh Sandhu who had also been sentenced to three-year jail by the high court.
On April 12, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had favoured the Punjab and Haryana High Court verdict in the Supreme Court.
Counsel for the state had earlier told the apex court that the trial court verdict was rightly set aside by the High Court. Accused A1 (Navjot Singh Sidhu) had given fist blow to deceased Gurnam Singh leading to his death through brain hemorrhage,” the counsel said.
The state had argued that the trial court was wrong in its findings that the man had died of cardiac arrest and not brain hemorrhage.
The counsel for the complainant had argued that Sidhu’s sentence should be enhanced as it was a case of murder and the cricketer-turned-politician had deliberately removed the keys of the deceased’s car so that he does not get medical assistance.