Supreme Court Delays Hearing on Transfer Request of Beant Singh's Assassin

The Supreme Court has delayed the hearing on Jagtar Singh Hawala's transfer request from Tihar Jail to a Punjab facility, citing a sensitive report from the Intelligence Bureau. The report warns that the transfer could significantly affect the upcoming assembly elections. Hawala, serving a life sentence for the assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, had his initial death sentence commuted. The court will revisit the case after February 2027, as security concerns remain paramount.

By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 3, 2026, 17:03 IST

Supreme Court Postpones Hearing on Transfer of Terrorist Jagtar Singh Hawala

New Delhi. The Supreme Court has postponed the hearing regarding the transfer request of Jagtar Singh Hawala, a terrorist serving a life sentence for the assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh in 1995. This decision comes in light of a confidential report from the Intelligence Bureau (IB), which warned that such a transfer could significantly impact the upcoming assembly elections in the state. The court has rescheduled the hearing for after February 2027.

The bench, comprising Justices M. M. Sundresh and P. B. Varale, noted the sensitive and alarming nature of the IB's input. The report indicated that the transfer could have serious repercussions on the elections and the current situation. A senior advocate representing Hawala argued for his transfer on humanitarian grounds, citing the advanced age of the petitioner's mother, who resides in Punjab, or alternatively, for parole. However, the court declined to consider this until after the elections.

It is important to note that a devastating bomb blast outside the Chandigarh Secretariat on August 31, 1995, resulted in the deaths of former Chief Minister Beant Singh and 16 others. Initially sentenced to death, Hawala's punishment was later commuted to life imprisonment by the High Court. The central government opposed the transfer, stating that Hawala is also convicted in several other cases and was involved in a jailbreak incident in the past, making his transfer a security risk.