Jagtar Singh Hawara acquitted in 2005 Arms Act case
Hawara was facing trial in connection with an FIR registered at Chandigarh’s Sector 36 police station in July 2005 for offences punishable under the Explosive Substances Act, the Arms Act and the Indian Penal Code
A local court has acquitted Babbar Khalsa militant Jagtar Singh Hawara in an Arms Act case from 2005.
Convicted for life in the Punjab chief minister Beant Singh assassination case, Hawara was facing trial in connection with an FIR registered at Chandigarh’s Sector 36 police station in July 2005 for offences punishable under the Explosive Substances Act, the Arms Act and the Indian Penal Code.
As per Hawara’s counsel AS Chahal, two other accused in the case, Paramjit Singh and Kamaljit Singh, were already convicted and sentenced to seven-year jail by a Chandigarh court in 2008. But the proceedings against Hawara were stayed as per Section 267 of the CrPC, as he was lodged in a Delhi jail in the Beant Singh assassination case.
On Wednesday, as the trial resumed via video conferencing, Hawara was acquitted, he added.
As per case files, a team of Chandigarh Police was patrolling near Kiran Cinema, Sector 22, on July 15, 2005, when they got a tip-off that Hawara, who was in police custody at that moment, had sent two human bombs to Chandigarh to target a VIP as part of his larger conspiracy to reignite terrorism in the country and wage war against the government since his escape from Model Jail, Sector 51, in 2004.
Acting on the information that the duo was present near Kisan Bhawan, Sector 35, police reached the area and saw one clean shaved, and two turbaned and bearded men, who on spotting police tried to escape. However, police managed to nab the turbaned men, who were identified as Paramjit Singh and Kamaljit Singh.
They were found in possession of a .25-bore pistol, five live cartridges, two detonators, 450 gm RDX and two human bomb belts. Subsequently, a case under Sections 121, 121-A, 123 and 153 of the Indian Penal Code; Sections 25/54/59 of the Arms Act, and Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the Explosive Substances Act was registered at the Sector 36 police station
What led to Hawara’s acquittal
Hawara’s counsel AS Chahal said police had booked Hawara on the statement of one Sukhdev Singh, who allegedly overheard him and other conspiring this crime in Chamkaur Sahib. But in court, Sukhdev declined to have ever seen Hawara before, which led to his acquittal. The detailed order is awaited.