Requested Amit Shah to commute death penalty of Rajoana, says Sukhbir Singh Badal

A delegation of Shirom Akali DaI (SAD) led by its President Sukhbir Singh Badal has requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to cancel the death sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana in 2007 case of assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and commute it into life imprisonment.

A press release said, "The SAD delegation requested the Home Minister to intervene and expedite the matter of clemency of Rajoana with the competent authority to commute the death penalty awarded to him and ensure his release from prison at the earliest."

The SAD delegation informed Union Home Minister that Rajoana had already undergone 24 years of imprisonment without any parole. It said a clemency petition under article 72 of the Constitution of India was filed by Shirom Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on March 25, 2012, before the President which was still pending.

It also disclosed that the commutation of death penalty of Rajoana was announced as a goodwill gesture on the pious occasion of 550th years of celebrations of Parkash Purb of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji.

"The delegation also urged Shah to constitute a national level celebrations' committee to commemorate the 400th birth anniversary of ninth Sikh guru Shri Guru Teg Bahadur ji in a most befitting manner across the country," the press release added.

( With inputs from ANI )