1988 road rage case | Navjot Singh Sidhu seeks time in Supreme Court to surrender

“He will of course surrender shortly,” Senior advocate A. M. Singhvi told the Bench, adding, “We want a few weeks to surrender. It is after 34 years. He wants to organise his medical affairs.”

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on May 20 approached the Supreme Court seeking a few weeks' time to surrender to undergo the sentence imposed on him in a 1988 road rage case.

The apex court had on May 19 imposed a sentence of one-year rigorous imprisonment on Mr. Sidhu in the case, saying any “undue sympathy” to impose an inadequate sentence would do more harm to the justice system and undermine the public confidence in the efficacy of law.

Senior advocate A. M. Singhvi, appearing for Mr. Sidhu, mentioned the matter before a Bench headed by Justice A. M. Khanwilkar and said the former cricketer needed a few weeks to surrender.

“He will of course surrender shortly,” Mr. Singhvi told the Bench, adding, “We want a few weeks to surrender. It is after 34 years. He wants to organise his medical affairs.” The Bench, also comprising Justice J. B. Pardiwala, told Mr. Singhvi that the judgment in the matter was passed by a special Bench.

“You can file that application and mention it before the Chief Justice. If the Chief Justice constitutes that Bench today, we will consider that. If that Bench is not available, it will have to be constituted. A special Bench was constituted for that matter,” the Bench observed. Mr. Singhvi said he will try to mention the matter before the Chief Justice.