Soon after the Supreme Court imposed a one-year jail term on him in a 1988 road rage case, former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu said on May 19 he "will submit to the majesty of law." Sidhu was in Patiala to take part in a protest against inflation. "Will submit to the majesty of law...," he said in a tweet.
A Bench of Justices A. M. Khanwilkar and S. K. Kaul on May 19 allowed the review plea filed by the victim's family on the issue of the sentence awarded to Sidhu. Though the apex court had in May 2018 held Sidhu guilty of the offence of "voluntarily causing hurt" to a 65-year-old man in the case, it spared him a jail term and imposed a fine of ₹1,000.
"...we feel there is an error apparent on the face of record...therefore, we have allowed the review application on the issue of sentence. In addition to the fine imposed, we consider it appropriate to impose a sentence of imprisonment for a period of one year...," the Bench said while pronouncing the verdict.
Earlier in the day, Sidhu rode an elephant in Patiala to register a symbolic protest against rising prices of essential commodities. Talking to reporters, he said the rise in inflation had hit the budget of the poor, farmers, labourers and middle class families.
"Protest against inflation. Inflation devalues money of Farmers, Labourers, Middle class families, while earnings remain same. Cost of food, housing, transport & healthcare has increased by over 50%, reducing value of (Rs) 250 wage to less than (Rs) 150. Pushing crores (of) people into poverty," Sidhu said in another tweet.
