Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu is likely to be released from Patiala jail on April 1. The former MLA had been imprisoned on May 20 last year after surrendering before a local court. The 59-year-old was serving a one-year sentence in a 1988 road rage case.
“This is to inform everyone that Sardar Navjot Singh Sidhu will be released from Patiala Jail tomorrow,” read a post shared on the politician’s official Twitter handle.
“He is most likely to be released on Saturday from the Patiala jail,” added his counsel HPS Varma on Friday.
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Once a Punjab chief ministerial hopeful, Sidhu was sentenced to a year of ‘rigorous imprisonment’ by the Supreme Court last year. The apex court had noted that any sympathy in imposing an inadequate sentence would do more harm to the justice system and undermine the public confidence in the efficacy of law.
A 65-year-old man, named Gurnam Singh, had incidentally died in the 34-year-old road rage incident. The case had involved Sidhu and his friend Rupinder Singh Sandhu.
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Soon after he was jailed, the cricketer-turned-politician had been appointed as ‘munshi’ (assistant) to do clerical work in Patiala central prison.
Earlier in February this year, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring had appealed to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to consider an early release for Sidhu. Supporters had previously made preparations for his early release during Republic Day – even as there was no official word from the state government.
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Last week, his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu revealed that she has been diagnosed with stage 2 cancer and underwent surgery. She also penned a heartfelt note for her husband who is serving a one-year sentence at Patiala Central Jail after being convicted in a road rage case.
“He is in the prison for a crime he has not committed. Forgive all those involved. Waiting for you each day outside probably suffering more than you. As usual, trying to take your pain away, asked for sharing it. Happened to see a small growth, and knew it was bad,” tweeted Navjot Kaur Sidhu.
