SC: Navjot Sidhu seeks time to surrender in the next few weeks

Congressman Navjot Singh Sidhu went to the Supreme Court on Friday, asking for an extension of time to surrender and serve a prison sentence stemming from a 1988 case of road rage.

India’s Supreme Court on Thursday handed down a one-year prison sentence to Sidhu in the case, saying that any undue leniency would do more harm to the justice system and undermine public confidence in the efficacy of law.

Sidhu’s lawyer, A M Singhvi, told a court presided over by Justice A M Khanwilkar that the former cricketer would have to surrender in a few weeks. When asked if he expected Singhvi to turn himself in “shortly,” the judge replied, “Of course.” It’s been 34 years now. “He wants to get his medical affairs in order,” he says.

The bench, also comprising Justice J B Pardiwala, told Singhvi that the judgement in the matter was passed by a special bench.

It’s up to you to file that application and bring it up with the Chief Justice. We’ll take the Chief Justice’s appointment into account. It will be necessary to assemble that bench if it is not already in place. The bench noted that a special panel had been set up for that purpose. Singhvi stated that he would make an effort to bring the matter up in front of the Chief Justice of India.