The Supreme Court has asked CBI and the Central Government to take an immediate call on Mercy Petition filed by Balwant Singh Rajoana for commutation of death sentence.

He has been lodged in jail for 26 years along with co-accused for the assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh in respect of offences punishable under Sections 302/307/120-B IPC, 1860 and Sections 3 and 4 of the Explosive Substances Act. 

The full-judge Bench led by Justice UU Lalit and also comprising of Justice S. Ravindra Bhat and Justice PS Narasimha directed as under in the order:

a. The matter shall immediately be looked into by the concerned authorities including the Government of India, and the Central Bureau of Investigation.
b. The proposal or the objection to the prayer for commutation shall be made by the Central Bureau of Investigation within two weeks from today.
c. The appropriate authority in the Central Government shall bestow attention and take the required decision within two weeks of the receipt of the proposal or objection from the Central Bureau of Investigation.
d. The Action Taken Report and the decision in terms thereof shall be placed on record of this case on or before 30.04.2022, failing which the concerned Secretary, Department of Home Affairs, Government of India, and the Director (Prosecution), Central Bureau of Investigation shall remain personally present along with the concerned record in the Court on the next occasion.

The petitioner-prime accused had not challenged his death sentence nor had he preferred any appeal from the decision of the Trial Court. The High Court found substance in the appeal preferred by the co-accused Jagtar Singh Hawara and substituted the death sentence to imprisonment for life. However, the order of conviction and sentence as awarded to the petitioner was affirmed by the High Court.

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