SC acquits Navjot Singh Sidhu of culpable homicide, fines for causing injury

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday acquitted Punjab Congress minister Navjot Singh Sidhu of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the 1988 Patiala road rage case.

However, the court found him guilty of causing simple injury and imposed a fine without any jail term. 

The cricketer-turned-politician has been convicted under Section 323 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) which says whosoever voluntarily causes hurt, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.

Earlier in April, the Congress government in Punjab has asked the apex court to uphold Sidhu's conviction in the decades-old case. 

SC had granted bail to the cricketer-turned-politician after he was sentenced to three years in prison by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The road rage incident dates back to December 27, 1988, when Sidhu had allegedly punched one 65-year-old Gurnam Singh in Patiala, Punjab, resulting in the latter's death.

The Sessions Court Judge of Patiala on September 22, 1999, had acquitted Sidhu and his associate, Rupinder Singh Sandhu, due to lack of evidence in the case.

The trial court had acquitted Sidhu, whereas the Punjab and Haryana High Court reversed his acquittal, convicting him under Section 304 Part II, Indian Penal Code (IPC), for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The victim's family had appealed to the Supreme Court that earlier imprisonment sentence of three years given by the Punjab and Haryana High Court should be enhanced.