Fatehgarh Sahib: The Supreme Court has directed the Delhi government to consult the Intelligence Bureau (IB) on a petition filed by Jagtar Singh Hawara, who has sought a transfer from Delhi’s Tihar Jail to a prison in Punjab.
According to a report by Dainik Bhaskar, the direction was issued on Tuesday while the court was considering Hawara’s request. Hawara is serving a sentence in connection with the assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.
In his petition, Hawara requested that he be shifted from Tihar Jail in Delhi to any prison in Punjab. The Supreme Court asked the Delhi government to seek the Intelligence Bureau’s advice before proceeding further, citing the sensitive nature of the matter, as reported.
The consultation is significant because decisions involving the transfer of a prisoner convicted in a high-profile assassination case may require consideration of security and administrative factors. The Intelligence Bureau’s input is expected to help the authorities assess relevant security concerns before the matter progresses.
Hawara was convicted in the case relating to the 1995 assassination of Beant Singh, who was Punjab’s chief minister at the time. The case remains one of the most prominent criminal cases linked to militancy in Punjab.
The latest development concerns Hawara’s place of detention rather than a reported change to his conviction or sentence. The supplied report does not specify when the Delhi government must submit its response or whether the Supreme Court has scheduled another hearing.
Any decision on the transfer will depend on the court proceedings and the authorities’ consideration of the relevant security and legal issues.
