PATIALA, Punjan—Punjab police dismissed as baseless reports that Balwant Singh Rajoana, on death row for assassination of former Chief Minister Beant Singh in 1995, has been shifted to New Delhi.
Additionally, Director General of Punjab police (Prisons) Rajpal Meena said the claims that Rajoana was secretively shifted to New Delhi last night were “totally baseless and far from reality”, Â and the convict was still lodged in Patiala jail. “Reports regarding the shifting of Rajoana are totally baseless and a section of media has mentioned the story of shifting the convict (which) is far from reality,” Meena said.
Intelligence and jail sources here said Rajoana is lodged in his barrack and went through his daily routine this morning. The reports came amidst demands for early execution of other convicts on death row, including the assassins of Rajiv Gandhi and Beant Singh, after 26/11 Mumbai attack terrorist Ajmal Kasab and Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru were hanged. Rajya Sabha was informed yesterday that constitutional review petitions of nine death row prisoners, including Rajoana, are currently pending with the government.
Rajoana had appeared before the court on March 2 through video conferencing and court had fixed March 16 as the next date of hearing in connection with an Arms Act case registered in Sadar police station here. Due to security concerns, Patiala central jail authorities have used video conferencing mode to produce Rajoana before court, officials said.
