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| Sidhu convicted of culpable homicide; resigns from LS | | |
NEW DELHI, DEC 1
BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu today resigned from the Lok Sabha following his conviction in a case of death in a road rage involving him 18 years ago.
Hours after the Punjab and Haryana High Court convicted him, Sidhu drove to Parliament House and tendered his resignation to Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.
"In an 18-year-old case arising out of an alleged road rage, the honorable High Court has passed an adverse order against me holding me guilty. The High Court will hear my lawyers on Wednesday with regard to the quantum of punishment.
"Without resorting to technical arguments with regard to what the quantum of punishment will be and my right to challenge the judgement in appeal, I tender my resignation as member of Lok Sabha," said Sidhu, who was elected from Amritsar in the 2004 general elections.
He said in the letter to the Speaker that he had always stood for truth and moral grounds and these principles "are above any office or power that I hold".
When the House is in session, the Speaker's decision on a member's resignation is generally announced in the House.
Earlier today, in a major embarrassment to the BJP, Sidhu was convicted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court for death of a person in a scuffle in Patiala 18 years ago and the former cricketer faces a maximum jail term of ten years.
Overruling a lower court order acquitting the 43-year-old Sidhu and his accomplice Rupinder Singh Sandhu, the High Court held them guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder of Gurnam Singh on December 27, 1988.
The court fixed December 6 for hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defence on the quantum of sentence, which could be a maximum of ten years in prison. The two continue to be on bail which was granted by the High Court when the appeal was admitted in November 29, 2000.
The verdict has come as a severe jolt to the BJP in the midst of its high-pitched campaign against the government on "tainted ministers" issue following the conviction of JMM chief and former Union Coal Minister Shibu Soren for the murder of his personal secretary on Tuesday.
Sidhu, who was in Parliament in Delhi when the verdict was pronounced by the Division Bench comprising Justices Mehtab Singh Gill and Baldev Singh, later announced his intention to resign from Lok Sabha where he represents Amritsar.
In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, he said he was seeking permission of his party leaders to resign from the Lok Sabha maintaining that he always stood for truth and moral grounds.
"I have written letters to former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and party leaders L K Advani and Rajnath Singh and have sought their permission to quit as an MP," Sidhu told a crowded press conference in Delhi.
He also indicated that he would appeal in the Supreme Court against the High Court judgement.
The court, in its 29-page order, said both Sidhu and Sandhu were convicted under Sections 304(2) of IPC for committing culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
In addition, Sandhu was also convicted under Section 34 of IPC (common intention) and under Section 323 of IPC for causing injuries to prosecution witness Jaswinder Singh.
"We cannot be oblivious of the fact that the opening of the skull haemorrhage was present over the left parietal region (of the deceased) as spelt by medical experts," the court said.
"It is hard to believe that a person who is known to everyone and of international fame would be implicated when a crime is committed on a busy road in full public view," the Bench observed.
Sidhu had contended that he was falsely implicated in the case for being a famous international personality.
Public prosecutor Vinod Ghai said he would argue for maximum sentence for both Sidhu and Sandhu which is provided under Section 304(2) of the Indian Penal Code (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).
Under Section 304(2), he said, the maximum sentence is ten years ja il term and as far as minumum is concerned there is no prescribed period. It depends on the court and facts of the case, he added.
The Patiala district and session judge had acquitted Sidhu and Sandhu in September 1999. The Punjab government went to the High Court challenging the lower court verdict and the appeal was admitted on November 29, 2000. A separate appeal was filed by the son of the victim.
Sidhu and Sandhu, who were travelling in a red Gypsy, allegedly showered blows and punches on Gurnam Singh following a scuffle after their vehicles collided on December 27, 1988, according to an FIR registered by the victim's family with the police.
Gurnam Singh, a heart patient, was taken to a hospital where he was declared brought dead.
Sidhu and Sandhu were alleged to have fled from the spot at the Sheranwala Gate with the keys of Singh's car.
Patiala District and Sessions Judge acquitted them saying the "case against the accused has not been established beyond doubt". |
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