'Serving Operation Sindoor won't shield you': SC to murder-suspect commando
What's the story
The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to grant exemption from surrender to a man convicted over 20 years ago for dowry death. A bench of Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Vinod Chandran was hearing his special leave petition against the Punjab and Haryana High Court's order upholding his 10-year rigorous imprisonment sentence. The convict, Baljinder Singh, had argued that his service in Operation Sindoor and as a Black Cat Commando should exempt him from surrendering.
Bench's response
'Doesn't give you immunity from committing atrocity at home'
Unimpressed by Singh's arguments, Justice Bhuyan remarked, "That doesn't give you immunity from committing atrocity at home." He further noted that the nature of the crime—strangulating his wife—was serious and gruesome. "It's a gruesome manner, the manner in which you strangulated your wife. Exemption is for when the sentence is of 6 months, 3 months, 1 year," he said.
High court's decision
HC dismissed Singh's appeal against conviction
The high court had earlier dismissed Singh's appeal against his conviction. The court had observed that the case involved maltreatment of a victim in her matrimonial home due to dowry demands, leading to her death by strangulation within two years of marriage. Eyewitnesses, including the victim's brother and his wife, testified to seeing Singh and his father-in-law strangling her while other family members restrained her limbs. The trial court found four family members not guilty but found the petitioner guilty.
Sentence suspension
Sentence suspended by HC after Singh served over 3 years
On appeal against the conviction, Singh's sentence was suspended by the high court after he served over three years in prison. This allowed him to remain free while his appeal was pending. However, in May 2025, the high court dismissed his appeal and upheld the conviction and sentence of 10 years' rigorous imprisonment. Singh then approached the SC.
Legal proceedings
SC issues notice, asks Singh to surrender in 2 weeks
The Supreme Court bench issued a notice on Singh's special leave petition, returnable in six weeks. However, they declined his request for exemption from surrendering. The court granted him two weeks' time to surrender after rejecting his plea for exemption. Singh had contended that the only allegation against him was a demand for a motorcycle, based on statements of two witnesses closely related to the deceased.