Supreme Court to decide Sidhu's fate on Jan 23

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, Jan 22: The Supreme Court will decide the fate of former test cricketer and ex-BJP member of Lok Sabha from Amritsar Navjot Singh Sidhu tomorrow.

A bench headed by Justice G P Mathur will pronounce its judgement on a petition filed by Sidhu seeking stay of his conviction and sentence in a road rage case given by Punjab and Haryana High Court, to enable him to contest the by-election to the Lok Sabha seat which had fallen vacant following his resignation.

Sidhu was sentenced to three years imprisonment along with a fine of Rs one lakh by the High Court for the offence of culpable homicide, not amounting to murder for causing death of one Gurnam Singh on December 27, 1998, following an altercation on the parking of the car in Patiala.

Sidhu is seeking stay of his conviction for contesting the by-election. The last date for filing of nominations for the Lok Sabha seat is January 25, 2007.

Sidhu can contest election only if his conviction is stayed by the apex court. In case the judgement goes against him, then his political fate will be sealed.

He, along with Rupinder Singh Sandhu, was acquitted by the trial court in 1999. However, the acquittal order was reversed by the High Court and both were convicted and sentenced.

The two were granted bail by the Supreme Court on January 12 after Sidhu surrendered in Patiala on January 11 and was sent to Patiala Central Jail along with Sandhu.

The settled law is that if a man has been sentenced for not less than two years, he can not contest the elections unless his conviction is stayed by the appellant court.

The complainant has also filed a petition in this court for enhancement of sentence. During the last 57 years, the apex court has never stayed a conviction.

UNI

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