Court Sets Deadline for Rajoana Clemency; Middukhera Killers Sentenced

On 22 Jan 2025, the Supreme Court of India asked the Union government to decide by 18 Mar 2025 on clemency for Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted of assassinating former Panjab Chief Minister Beant Singh in 1995, else the court will decide the matter on the basis of evidence and arguments. Rajoana, a former Panjab police constable, was sentenced to death in 2007 for his involvement in the assassination. He has spent 29 years in prison, with his mercy petition pending for over a decade (WD Vol 2, Issue 48, Story 4). In another high-profile case, on 27 Jan, the Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Baljinder Singh Sran awarded life terms to the three shooters involved in the killing of Youth Akali Dal leader Vicky Middukhera. The guilty Anil Kumar, alias Latth; Ajay Kumar, alias Lefty; and Sajjan Singh, alias Bhola, are members of the Kaushal-Bambiha gang. It must be recalled that Lawrence Bishnoi had owned up to planning Sidhu Moosewala's murder in May 2022 claiming Moosewala had ordered Middukhera's killing. Separately, a court in Amritsar acquitted Sarabjit Singh Kirat of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act charges tied to an alleged Khalistan conspiracy, convicting him only under the Arms Act for two years—time he already served after his 19 Dec 2020 arrest. Sarabjit, who is from a marginal caste background, claims he was tortured, and says he was also booked in four other cases across Panjab but was discharged or acquitted in each. Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency raided sites in Panjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Chandigarh, seizing incriminating materials from suspects linked to Babbar Khalsa International in the 9 Sep 2024 Chandigarh grenade attack. Investigators discovered Pakistan-based Harwinder Singh Sandhu, alias Rinda and US-based Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, had funded, armed, and guided a module targeting a retired police officer.