SC defers Beant Singh assassin Hawara’s plea for Punjab transfer
· India · Hindustan Times, Times of India
The Supreme Court postponed hearing a plea by Babbar Khalsa terrorist Jagtar Singh Hawara to shift from Delhi’s Tihar jail to a Punjab prison after the Intelligence Bureau warned the move would have a "huge impact" on next year’s Punjab assembly elections. Hawara, jailed for the 1995 assassination of former chief minister Beant Singh, argues his elderly mother lives in Punjab and seeks parole to visit her, but the IB note raised concerns that granting the transfer could influence the election outcome. The bench of Justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale indicated the matter would be heard after February 2027, when the elections are expected to conclude. The Union government and the Chandigarh administration have also expressed reservations, and the court has asked for further IB inputs before deciding.
Why it matters
The deferral directly affects Hawara’s personal request to be nearer his family and impacts the legal strategy for prisoners seeking transfer based on humanitarian grounds. It also highlights the judiciary’s sensitivity to electoral considerations in security‑related decisions.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
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