Navjot Singh Sidhu asks for more time to surrender in road rage case

Ex-Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu who has been granted a year-long jail term in the 1988 road rage case has sought more time to surrender. Sidhu cited medical reasons to delay his surrender. The court, in response, asked him to mention the matter before the Chief Justice of India. 

However, the CJI also refused to entertain the unlisted urgent mentioning made by Sidhu's lawyer in the morning. Sidhu's lawyers will approach the court registry to make another attempt at 2 pm.

This comes after Sidhu said that he would surrender to the “majesty of law” after the Supreme Court pronounced its judgment. 

The Supreme Court had earlier allowed the review of its May 2018 order that exonerated Sidhu in the 34-year-old case. The court had set aside the Punjab and Haryana High Court order convicting Sidhu of culpable homicide and a three-year jail term. 

Sidhu was earlier let off with a fine of Rs 1,000. But now he has been awarded the maximum possible punishment in the case in which one Gurnam Singh had died. 

The 1988 case

The case revolves around the death of Patiala resident Gurnam Singh in December 1988 who was assaulted by Sidhu and his friend. Sidhu and his friend Rupinder Singh Sandhu had allegedly parked their Gypsy in the middle of the road near Patiala’s Sheranwala Gate crossing. When the 65-year-old Singh asked them to move their car, he was beaten by the duo. 

They also allegedly took away his car keys and fled, so that he could not get medical help. 

On Thursday, Sidhu was awarded rigorous imprisonment of a year. 

Also read: Navjot Singh Sidhu gets one year jail term in 1988 road rage case