Deceased Gurnam's family hopes for stern sentence

Patiala, Dec 1 (UNI) The conviction of BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu today failed to cheer up a stoic Vimaljit Kaur, the 70-year-old widow of victim Gurnam Singh for whom it was a case of 'justice delayed is justice denied'.

''What can I comment at this stage! I had lost my husband 18 years ago and this sentence has little meaning for me as I have already spent a life time awaiting justice,'' Vimaljit said in a resigned tone following persistent queries from mediapersons.

However, other members of Gurnam's family, felt vindicated and looked forward to a stringent punishment for the cricketer-turned-politician and TV anchor.

''We will fight the case tooth and nail if Sidhu moved the Supreme Court,'' said Jaswinder Singh nephew of Gurnam Singh, who is also an eyewitness and complainant in the murder case.

While talking to visiting mediapersons in Village Ghalori, about 6 km from here, Jaswinder said, ''We would have been happier had Sidhu been convicted under IPC 302 but now that he has been convicted by the court under 304 (2), we hope he would get the most severe punishment possible for him''.

A staunch supporter of Akali Dal Badal, Jaswinder said that his political affiliation did not in any way get affected by his ''fight for justice.'' ''We have lost our family member and as I was the only eyewitness, I had every right to raise the alarm on December 27, 1988 when the incident occurred near the traffic lights of State bank of Patiala and pursue the case,'' he asserted.

''I can still not forget the fatal night of December 27, 1988, when I cried for help in vain as Sidhu and his friend, Rupinder Singh battered my 65-year-old uncle,'' he said adding that ''they even took away keys of our car as they fled.'' Gurnam Singh was later taken to Rajendra Hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

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