The murder trial of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh finally came to an end yesterday after a special sessions court in Chandigarh awarded a life imprisonment sentence along with a fine of Rs. 35,000 to Khalistani terrorist Jagtar Singh Tara in connection with the assassination.
Instead of agreeing with CBI’s demand of a death sentence, the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge JS Sindhu declared a sentence of imprisonment until death for Tara for being convicted under charges of murder, attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy and relevant provisions of the Explosives Act.
Tara, along with other assailants, had assassinated Beant Singh in 1995 using an RDX-based explosive device strapped on a co-conspirator police employee named Dilawar Singh outside the Chandigarh secretariat. Sixteen other people had lost their lives along with the chief minister.
The court said in its judgement that differences of ideologies that Tara had with Beant Singh and the government cannot be a valid justification for its actions. It referred to Tara’s confession letter submitted to court recently in which he had accepted his guilt and had expressed no remorse for his actions.
Several pro-Khalistani supporters and sympathizers of Tara were present outside the jail where the sentence was announced. They raised slogans in his support and expressed relief upon knowing that he was not awarded a death penalty.