Sidhu's counsel informs SC about his surrender

New Delhi, Jan 11 (UNI) Cricketer-turned-MP Navjot Singh Sidhu's counsel today informed the Supreme Court that his client surrendered before the Punjab and Haryana High Court earlier in the day and was subsequently taken into custody in the road rage case in which he has been sentenced to three-year imprisonment along with a fine of Rs one lakh.

Senior counsel Harish Salve informed chamber judge Justice Arijit Pasayat about the development, who, in turn, directed that the BJP leader and his accomplice Rupender Singh Sandhu's bail application be taken up tomorrow along with Sidhu's criminal appeal against his conviction.

The apex court also clarified that high court was not right in suspending the sentence in view of the judgement of this court, directing the high court that the sentence under 389 (3) of the CrPC not be suspended.

Notably, one Gurnam Singh was killed in 1988 and Sidhu was acquitted by the trial court, but the exoneration was reversed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Sidhu will produce the certificate of surrender before the SC tomorrow.

If Sidhu's conviction is not stayed he will not be able to contest Lok Sabha by-election to the Amritsar seat in which the last date for filing the nomination is January 18.

Sidhu had resigned his Lok Sabha seat following his conviction in the case. The family members of Gurnam Singh have also challenged the high court order in the SC seeking enhancement of the sentence.

UNI