Former Cricket player Sidhu gets 3-year jail term

Press Trust of India / Chandigarh December 6, 2006



Former cricketer and BJP MP Navjyot Singh Sidhu was today sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment in the case involving him in a road rage incident which resulted in a death 18 years ago.

Giving the quantum of punishment, Justice Mehtab Singh Gill and Justice Baldev Singh of Punjab and Haryana High Court suspended the sentence till January 31 to enable Sidhu file a special leave petition in the Supreme Court.

Extending similar relief, the court also sentenced the other convict in the case, Rupinder Singh Sandhu, to three years' rigorous imprisonment.

Both of them were fined Rs 1 lakh each, and were directed to furnish a bail bond on or before December 8.

Sidhu steps down, gives BJP moral high ground

The BJP, on December 1, tried to get political mileage out of the conviction of its MP Navjyot Singh Sidhu in an 18-year-old murder case. Sidhu resigned his Lok Sabha seat after being convicted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The BJP, which has been running a high-pitched campaign against tainted ministers in the UPA Cabinet, and former minister Shibu Soren's conviction in a murder case, tried to take a moral high ground.

BJP spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said cases of Sidhu and Soren could not be equated since Sidhu had been convicted in a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder while Soren had been convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy to murder. �In Sidhu's case, it�s almost an accidental death,� she said.

Meanwhile, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has "not accepted" Sidhu�s resignation.

" It is not in accordance with Rule 240 which deals with resignation of seat from the House", the Speaker's office said.

As per the rules, the resignation has to be a one-liner and should not mention the reason.

Sidhu decided to submit another letter after ruling out such a step earlier in the day.

While the party leadership had been caught unawares over the judgement, which had been kept in reserve till now, Sidhu was quick to react, sending his resignation to party president Rajnath Singh and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.

He, however, made it clear that he was going to campaign for the BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections in Punjab. �I am prepared to break my oath not to enter Patiala, to take on Amarinder Singh,� he reportedly told Sushma Swaraj.

In his letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, he also tried to emphasise that his decision to resign in haste was taken on �moral grounds.�

Party leaders indicated that they would be using him extensively in Punjab and that Sidhu would be pitched against Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. Sidhu said he would appeal in the Supreme Court.

Asked if he would have considered running for the chief minister's post had he not been convicted, he refused to consider any ifs. �If my aunt had a moustache wouldn't she have become my uncle? These are imponderables,� he said.