No regrets for killing former CM, says Jagtar Singh Tara

ACCUSED SUBMITS 6PAGE CONFESSIONAL STATEMENT IN THE COURT PROCEEDINGS HELD IN BURAIL JAIL

CHANDIGARH: Accused Jagtar Singh Tara confessed to have assassinated former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh during the hearing in the case on Thursday and said he had no regrets for his act. Tara submitted a six-page confessional statement in the court of additional district and sessions judge JS Sidhu, where he recorded his statements under Section 313 of the CRPC during the proceedings held at the Burail jail.

Besides admitting to the crime, he also gave a detailed explanation for the assassination. The matter will now come up for hearing on February 7, when his remaining statements would be recorded in the court and the prosecution will put more questions on his confessional letter.

Elaborating on the confessional statement, defence counsel Simranjeet Singh said Tara has stated that Sikh history taught him not to bear injustice and the circumstances at that time were intolerable as innocent youths were being massacred. “beant Singh after coming to power did not punish the culprits. After so much human rights violation by the officers and the police officials, Beant Singh rewarded these officers by giving promotions and further recommended their names for the President Award,” the statement said.

Tara also admitted that he purchased the car which was used for assassination and that they all waited for the best opportunity to assassinate Beant Singh.

Tara, along with two other accused, had fled from the Burail jail while the trial in the main case was on. In February 2004, non-bailable warrants were issued against him and in May the same year, he was declared a proclaimed offender.

He was nabbed from Thailand in January 2015 and the trial in the case has been going on inside the Burail jail ever since.

Beant Singh was killed in an explosion outside the civil secretariat in Chandigarh on August 31, 1995.