Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Friday morning made a mention before Justice AM Khanwilkar seeking four weeks’ relief for Sidhu, citing Sidhu’s medical conditions in the decades since the incident.
I stand with my senior colleague @sheryontopp ji and his… https://t.co/AXkFKK33Lu, while respecting the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s decision.
— Amarinder Singh Raja (@RajaBar_INC) 165302966000
Congress bows before the decision of Hon. Supreme court. Apart from this, Punjab Congress and I will stand firmly… https://t.co/KGNIf35nTJ
— Pratap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) 165303640000
However, Justice Khanwilkar could not do anything as he was sitting in a different composition from the bench which delivered the verdict on Thursday. Justice Khanwilkar and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul had in 2018 added one year RI to the punishment of a fine of Rs 1,000 for being convicted under section 323 of the IPC.
Justice Khanwilkar suggested Singhvi to approach the Chief Justice of India, but by then the time for urgent mention of petitions in the Supreme Court before the summer vacation had expired. Sidhu’s team explored the possibility of filing the application immediately, but there was little chance of it being listed before the vacation bench on Monday.
Sidhu surrendered around 4 pm and was taken to Mata Kaushalya Hospital for a mandatory medical check-up. After medical checkup, he was kept in Patiala Central prisonWhere Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Majithia has been lodged in a drug case since February this year.
Wearing a red turban in a dark blue Pathan suit, Sidhu reached the Patiala District and Sessions Judge’s court in the car of former MLA Navtej Singh Cheema. The court marked the application to Chief Judicial Magistrate Amit Malhan. There Sidhu was taken into custody for further proceedings.
“The district and sessions court marked the application in the court of the CJM which took Sidhu into custody and sent him to jail. We have given an application citing Sidhu’s medical needs in jail as he cannot consume wheat, non-vegetarian food, ghee and sugar. He can take double toned milk,” said Sidhu’s lawyer HPS Verma in Patiala.
Sidhu entered the jail premises around 6.30 pm. Jail officials did not confirm whether Sidhu had dinner in the jail. However, Sidhu’s lawyer HPS Verma in Patiala said that Sidhu ate food including beetroot before going to jail and may not have eaten in jail.
Sidhu was not accompanied by any senior Congress leader in Patiala. Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Leader of Opposition in Punjab Pratap Singh Bajwa tweeted almost similar messages in support of Sidhu on Friday. “With respect to the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s decision, I stand with my senior colleague @serryontopp ji and his family at this difficult time,” Waring tweeted on Friday afternoon.
“The Congress bows to the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Also, Punjab Congress and I will stand firmly with @serryontopp and his family in this difficult time,” Bajwa tweeted.
Sidhu’s advisor Surinder Dhalla said Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of former PCC chief, had reached his Patiala residence on Thursday night. Dhalla described her as “a strong woman”. Navjot Singh Sidhu He could not meet his daughter before going to court.
“Sidhu is a strong man and has fought for the issues of Punjab. Sidhu does not need any VIP treatment inside the jail but he should be given all the facilities which are being given to other prisoners. The legal team will examine the curative petition and other aspects. He was already ready to surrender but was waiting for the medical report and tests so that he could submit it to the court and get proper medicine inside the jail.
Sidhu, Majithia now neighbors in jail
Navjot Singh Sidhu has been kept in the barrack next to the Akali leader. Bikram Singh Majithia staying. Sidhu has been kept in barrack number 10, while Majithia has already been kept in barrack number 11. The other prisoners also share the barracks with Sidhu and Majithia. According to Patiala Central Jail Additional Superintendent Gurcharan Singh Dhaliwal, there is no possibility of any communication between Sidhu and Majithia as both the barracks open in opposite directions and are at a distance from each other. “Sidhu brought two pairs of clothes and some utensils with him. VIP cells or facilities are no longer available in jails and hence we have to treat everyone equally. From tomorrow onwards, Sidhu will be given two pairs of dresses for the prisoners.