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SC commutes death sentence to life imprisonment in Longowal murder

The Supreme Court has commuted into life imprisonment the death sentence awarded in 1986 to Gian Singh for the murder of Sant Harcharan Singh Longowal, the then president of the Shiromani Akali Dal.

A three-judge bench comprising Justice G B Patnaik, Justice S P Kurdukar and Justice K T Thomas commuted the death sentence on an appeal filed by the accused.

The court in its judgement said that it has the jurisdiction to award the alternative sentence of imprisonment for life as far the offence under Section 3 (1) of the terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act was concerned.

''... In view of the distance of time, particularly the long period of 13 years during which the appellant was languishing in jail under the spell of death penalty, we are persuaded to award the lesser alternative -- punishment of imprisonment for life,'' the judges observed.

The death penalty for Gian Singh was awarded by a special court which tried him along with six others, all of whom were acquitted.

UNI

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