CHANDIGARH: The man who provided the first crucial clue about the identity of the assassins of the then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh has sought better security to protect him and his family in the wake of death sentence being awarded to two and life imprisonment to three other accused.
City-based Balwinder Singh, an automobile painter by profession, was the first to come forward about the persons involved in the assassination as the vehicle used in the crime was re-painted by him. He had identified the persons from the pictures that appeared in newspapers.
Significantly, Lakhwinder Singh, Jagtar Singh Hawara and Balwant Singh who lived at Kansal village behind the civil secretariat, Chandigarh, often visited him in connection with repairs. It was primarily because of his assistance that the investigators were able to reach Lakhwinder Singh who in turn had spoken about Hawara and others, according to the counsel of the petitioner. Thereafter, the conspiracy and the chain of people involved in it came to be unearthed.
In his petition which came up for preliminary consideration before the division bench of Justices P Sathasivam and Rajive Bhalla on Friday, Balwinder has prayed for enhancing the security provided to him because of increased threat to him and his family following the award of death penalty to two and life imprisonment to three others in the Beant case.
Source: TNS