Celebrity News

December 06, 2006 at 15:47

Since Sidhu's sentence has been suspended, he won't be immediately arrested.

New Delhi: BJP leader and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu was on Wednesday sentenced to three years in prison for a 1988 murder case.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court, which found him guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder on December 2, has also slapped a fine of Rs one lakh.

However, the ex-cricketer will not be arrested immediately as his sentence has been suspended till January 31.

He can now appeal in a higher court and also contest elections.

Sidhu and his friend Rupinder Singh Sandhu allegedly beat up one Gurnam Singh in Patiala on December 27, 1988. Gurnam later died.

Sandhu has said that the duo will approach the Supreme Court in case of an adverse verdict.

“Even we feel sorry for the family of victim. The matter is now sub judice. After the sentence is declared, we'll approach the SC,” he said.

The High Court had on December 2 overturned a lower court’s 1999 order acquitting Sidhu in the death.

Sidhu resigned from Parliament after the verdict, but has hinted that he would remain in politics and campaign during the Punjab Assembly elections in February.

The ex-cricketer received a candlelight welcome on Tuesday evening when he arrived in Chandigarh for hearing the quantum of sentence.

Accompanied by BJP leader and former law minister Arun Jaitley, Sidhu arrived in the city from New Delhi by the Shatabdi Express.

Over 500 youth and BJP activists, carrying candles, welcomed him as he alighted from the train.

Sidhu briefly addressed them before being driven away. He also thanked the BJP top brass for supporting him.

“I thank the senior leaders like Prakash Singh Badal and Jaitley. Their blessings will help me. I am thankful to them,” he said.

Source: IANS

Chandigarh: Over 100 students took out a silent candlelight procession in the city to support cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was convicted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday for causing the death of a person in a road rage case.

The youths, who took out the procession at the city's famous landmark - Sukhna Lake, said they would launch an SMS campaign to garner support for Sidhu on Monday.

"He has been successful as a cricketer and now as a politician. We need clean people like him. The Patiala incident was an unintentional aberration and he should not be treated like a criminal for that," said Ajmer Singh.

Others in the procession said Sidhu had displayed rare character by immediately resigning from his Lok Sabha seat after his conviction by the High Court.

Sidhu had on Saturday resigned as Lok Sabha MP.

The High Court here will commence hearing on Wednesday for announcing the quantum of his sentence.

Sidhu has been charged of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and could face up to 10 years in prison.

Supporters of Sidhu in Punjab's cities of Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala also prayed for him.

Indo-Asian News Service

December 01, 2006

Sidhu has been found guilty of causing the death of Patiala resident Gurman Singh.

New Delhi: BJP MP and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu was on Friday found guilty of causing a man’s death in 1988 during a fight with him over parking in Patiala.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court overturned a lower court’s 1999 order acquitting Sidhu in the death of Patiala resident Gurman Singh and found him guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Sidhu, MP from Amritsar, and his friend Rupinder Singh Sandhu on December 27, 1988 allegedly beat up Gurman who later died of a heart attack. The court will announce Sidhu’s punishment on Wednesday, December 6.

Section 304 of PIC, carries a maximum prison term of 10 years
Sidhu has been convicted under Section 304 of IPC, which carries a maximum prison term of 10 years. Public prosecutor Vinod Ghai said he would ask for the maximum punishment.

Sidhu said he was "not bothered about the quantum of punishment and other technicalities" since he would be moving the Supreme Court. "I am more concerned about morality and ethics," said Sidhu, who was in Parliament when the High Court order came.

The Punjab government’s complaint of December 27, 1988 alleged that Sidhu and Sandhu beat up Gurnam in Sheranwala Gate Bazaar after dragging him out of his car.

The fight began over a parking spot outside the State Bank of Patiala branch, where Sidhu was employed. Sidhu has always claimed that the incident was an accident and he had no intention of harming Gurnam.

Sidhu and Sandhu were alleged to have fled from the spot at the Sheranwala Gate with the keys of Singh's car. The Patiala sessions court dismissed the case on September 22, 1999 on the ground that the “case against the accused has not been established beyond doubt” and there was a delay in lodging the case.