Supreme Court asks Delhi governmente to seek inputs from IB on Hawara plea for transfer to Punjab jail

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (October 13, 2026) asked the Delhi government to seek inputs from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) on Beant Singh murder convict Jagtar Singh Hawara’s plea for transfer from Delhi’s Tihar jail to a prison in Punjab.

A Bench headed by Justices M.M. Sundresh and P.B. Varale took a cautious approach, saying the case was sensitive, and even the Punjab government seemed to be reluctant.

“We know that every sinner has a future… Like how somebody said, if you kill a single person, you are a murderer. Kill a few thousand, you are a conqueror… But we will have to look at the implications of the transfer on the society,” Justice Sundresh said.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Delhi government, informed the top court that Hawara was involved in a jailbreak and his death penalty was converted to life imprisonment in the murder case.

Contending that transfer might increase chances of his escape, Ms. Bhati referred to an advisory by the Ministry of Home Affairs on transfer of high-risk prisoners.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, for Hawara, said he had personally visited his client in jail and found him completely reformed.

Ms. Bhati referred to a Punjab government affidavit which sounded apprehensive about the effect of Hawara’s shift on the law and order situation in the State.

Mr. Gonsalves submitted that the assassination of the Chief Minister happened in 1995 when his client was only 21 years old.

“His mother is very old, 82 years old and in serious condition. He is only seeking a transfer to a Punjab high-security prison, and not seeking release. He has a blemishless record in jail,” Mr. Gonsalves argued.

Hawara, Paramjit Singh Bheora, Tara and a murder convict Devi Singh had escaped from Chandigarh’s high-security Burail Jail in January 2004 by digging a nearly 100-feet long tunnel.

Hawara and Bheora were re-arrested within the next two years. Tara, a proclaimed offender in this case, was arrested from Thailand, while Devi Singh is absconding and has also been declared a proclaimed offender.