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Terming the petition filed by Vikram Singh Walia and Jasvir Singh, as a ploy to delay their execution — the two are slated to be hanged on October 5 — Assistant Solicitor General of India, Anmol Rattan Sidhu said that that by murdering the Abhi Verma (16), the two committed a heinous crime and deserve death sentence.
Law officers of Punjab and Haryana also stated that it was legally valid and justified in awarding death sentence under Section 364-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to the duo. After detailed arguments, a division bench headed by Justice Surya Kant reserved the judgment on the petition.
Vikram and Jasvir are to be hanged at 9 am on October 5 in Central Jail, Patiala. Earlier, the Supreme Court had, on May 2, dismissed a special leave petition filed by the duo challenging death sentence.
Residents of Hoshiarpur, the duo along with a third accomplice, Sonia, had abducted and killed Abhi, a goldsmith’s son for ransom in February 2005. The three were sentenced to death by a Hoshiarpur court on December 21, 2006. The High Court had confirmed the death sentence on May 30, 2008. However, the Supreme Court had commuted death sentence of Sonia to life sentence.
