HC allows Rajoana to attend brother’s bhog ceremony
Nov 20, 2024 08:10 AM IST
While granting parole, the bench of justice Gurvinder Singh observed that death of a sibling would put the entire family in a state of shock and grief and under such circumstances, the petitioner can be granted permission to attend the bhog ceremony of his brother so as to enable him to be with his family for a little while in the moment of grief.
The Punjab and Haryana high court has granted three-hour parole to Balwant Singh Rajoana to attend the bhog ceremony of his brother in Ludhiana.
Rajoana, sentenced to death in 2007 for his role as a backup bomber in the blast that killed former chief minister Beant Singh and 16 others in 1995, is lodged in Patiala jail.
The court directed the police to make elaborate arrangements so as to take him from Central Jail, Patiala, to Gurudwara Manji Sahib, Rajoana Kalan, Ludhiana, for the ceremony between 11 am to 2pm. The court made it clear that he won’t be allowed to stay beyond 2 pm. His brother Kulwant Singh died on November 4.
While granting parole, the bench of justice Gurvinder Singh observed that death of a sibling would put the entire family in a state of shock and grief and under such circumstances, the petitioner can be granted permission to attend the bhog ceremony of his brother so as to enable him to be with his family for a little while in the moment of grief.
On November 18, the Supreme Court had urged President Droupadi Murmu to decide Rajoana’s long-pending mercy petition within two weeks. The court had also said that if no decision is made before the next hearing on December 5, it would consider Rajoana’s plea to release him temporarily.
