NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday directed secretary of President of India to place the mercy petition of death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana in assassination case of former Punjab CM Beant Singh before President Droupadi Murmu for consideration. This came after no one appeared on behalf of Centre at the hearing.
The apex court has requested for the plea to be considered by the President within two weeks.
Earlier this month, SC had asked the Centre to act on Rajoana’s mercy petition, who has been in jail for 29 years.
The court, observing that the government must show “compassion” when considering mercy petitions, had previously directed the Centre to make a swift decision on Rajoana’s plea for mercy.
Rajoana was sentenced to death in 2007 by a trial court, but unlike other convicts, he chose not to challenge his conviction in the high court or Supreme Court. A plea for commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment, filed by an organization, has been awaiting a decision for nearly 12 years.
On September 27, 2019, the ministry of home affairs wrote to the Punjab chief secretary, suggesting special remission and the release of certain prisoners to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, including Rajoana’s name. However, his name was not forwarded due to the pending appeals of his co-accused in the Supreme Court.