Supreme Court has announce a one-year rigourous sentence for cricketer-turn-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu in a road rage case. The court has also allow the victim’s family to file a review plea on the issue of sentencing in the 1988 Navjot Singh Sidhu road rage case.
A bench of justices AM Khanwilkar and Sanjay Kishan Kaul had reserve the order in the case.
Navjot Singh Sidhu, when he was an active international cricketer, had allegedly thrash 65-year-old Gurnam Singh after an altercation on the road.
The incident took place on 27th December, 1988.
According to reports, Navjot Singh Sidhu had hit him on his head which later led to his death.
The case had drag on for over 33 years, from sessions court to the Supreme Court.
The sessions court of Patiala, on 22nd September, 1999, acquitted Navjot Singh Sidhu citing lack of evidence and giving the benefit of the doubt.
The victim’s family pursue the case to higher courts.
In 2007, Sidhu was convict and sentence to three years in prison by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Navjot Singh Sidhu then challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court.
In 2018, Navjot Singh Sidhu was convict of causing voluntary hurt but was acquitted on the culpable homicide charges.
The Supreme Court let him off with a fine of Rs 1,000.
Then, the victim’s family file a review plea against the quantum of sentence.
Navjot Singh Sidhu had oppose the plea seeking to enlarge the scope of the case citing earlier order of the apex court which held there was no evidence that the death of the victim was cause by a single blow.
Navjot Singh Sidhu had urge the court not to revisit his sentencing as he had had an impeccable sporting and political career.
But the court allow the review.
After his 2018 sentencing, Navjot Singh Sidhu had Said :
“A life was lost and everybody will regret it. But the court says it was an accident. I have submit to the majesty of the law and whatever the court says I abide by it.”
Navjot Singh Sidhu had call the incident “an accident, nothing else“.
