Click to play videoNew Delhi: In a trial that stretched nearly for 12 years, Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh was assassinated outside the high security secret secretariat complex on August 31, 1995 by suicide bomber Dilawar Singh.
On Tuesday, Special Court Judge Ravi Kumar Sondhi awarded death sentence to mastermind Jagtar Singh Hawara, and Balwant Singh.
Life imprisonment has been awarded to Shamsher Singh, Gurmeet Singh and Lakhwinder Singh who were convicted last week for conspiring to assassinate the Chief Minister.
“The assassination of the chief minister at the office and the seat of the government has been done. It was a heinous crime and a terrorist act that was to be dealt with severely,” says Special Public Prosecutor, R K Handa.
But even as two have been sentenced to death, one of them Balwant Singh says he is not going to go in for appeal or bow down to the Constitution of India or belittle the memories of the Sikh martyrs, which is perhaps indicative of the ideological divide that still exists in Punjab's psyche.
Naseeb Singh, convicted under the Explosives Act, was awarded 10 years imprisonment, a sentence that he has completed, being in prison for the last 12 years.
“I can't believe I am free. I don't know what to say. I am overwhelmed,” says Naseeb Singh
But while Naseeb was happy, Baljit Kaur, whose brother Jagtar Hawara was sentenced to death, was unable to control her anger and grief.
”They have given a wrong verdict. A time will come when God will punish them for this,” says Baljit.
But Beant Singh's wife Jaswant Kaur had a different grievance.
“Only two have been awarded the death sentence. All should have been sentenced to death,” says Jaswant.
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