Hearing on Professor DPS Bhullar’s death sentence to continue in SCI; decision expected this week
New Delhi, India (April 02, 2012):
As per information available with “Sikh Siyasat”, the Supreme Court of India
shall resume hearing on plea against death sentence to Sikh political prisoner
Professor Devender Pal Singh Bhullar on Tuesday. Professor DPS Bhullar was
convicted on fractured evidence in a 1993 blast case in which nine persons had
died in Delhi.
Since his arrest in 1995 the due
process was violated and he was tortured in custody to extract so-called
confession. As per Amnesty International Professor Bhullar was denied fair
trial in India. Even Justice M. B. Shah, presiding judge of SC three judges
bench acquitted him. Justice M. B. Shah noted in his minority judgement that
there were no reliable evidence against Professor Devender Pal Singh Bhullar.
Many domestic and international
human rights organizations, NGOs, foreign diplomats and government officials
and the European Parliament has asked India to halt execution of Professor
Devender Pal Singh Bhullar and deal the case in a transparent manner.
His review petition remained
pending with President of India for more than eight years and was ultimately
rejected few months back. The Ministry of Home affairs ignored the set
guidelines while recommending confirmation of death sentence for Prof. Bhullar.
Professor Bhullar’s wife as a
last resort to avoid his execution moved to Supreme Court of India seeking
clemency for Professor Bhullar on the grounds of undue delay in executions,
prolonged detention after conviction and deteriorated health conditions.
Supreme Court is now hearing
pleas of death row convicts on every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. SC
listened the arguments of Government of India (GOI) last week and demanded
recent report on health conditions of Professor Devender Pal Singh Bhullar.
Jasvir Singh Khandoor, Secretary
of Akali Dal Panch Pardhani, who has reached Delhi to attend the court
proceedings informed Sikh Siyasat that it is highly expected that Supreme Court
of India may decided this case on one of the coming three days.
