New Delhi, January 13, 2026: The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred by two weeks the hearing on a plea filed by Jagtar Singh Hawara, the convicted killer of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, seeking his transfer from Tihar Jail in Delhi to a prison in Punjab.

A bench comprising Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh adjourned the matter as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was unavailable for the hearing.

Background

Hawara, a member of the Babbar Khalsa terrorist group, is serving a life sentence in connection with the 1995 blast at the entrance of the Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh, which killed Beant Singh and 16 others.

• In March 2007, Hawara was sentenced to death by a trial court, but the Punjab and Haryana High Court commuted his sentence to life imprisonment in October 2010, directing that he remain in jail for the rest of his life.
• Hawara had previously escaped from jail on January 22, 2004, but was later recaptured.

Hawara’s Plea

Hawara’s plea in the Supreme Court requested transfer to any jail in Punjab, citing several reasons:

1. Native State: He is a native of Fatehgarh Sahib district, Punjab, and argued that as he is serving a life sentence for a Punjab-registered case, he should be imprisoned there.
2. No Pending Case in Delhi: The plea stated that no case is pending against him in Delhi, making continued detention in Tihar unnecessary.
3. Personal Circumstances: Hawara noted that his wife has passed away, his mother is in a coma in the US, and his daughter resides in Punjab, emphasizing the need for proximity to family.
4. Good Conduct: The petition argued that for the last 19 years, Hawara has led a life in prison without blemish, except for the earlier jail break.
5. Precedent: Another person convicted in the same case and involved in the 2004 jail break had already been transferred from Tihar to a jail in Chandigarh.

The plea also highlighted that Hawara faced 36 false cases after Beant Singh’s murder, of which he was acquitted in all but one, reinforcing his claim for a transfer.

Court Observations

The plea raises the question of whether a high-risk prisoner, originally deemed dangerous, but now serving life with no recent disciplinary issues, can seek relocation to a prison closer to their native state and family.

The Supreme Court had issued notices to the Centre, Chandigarh administration, and the Delhi and Punjab governments on Hawara’s plea on September 27, 2025, but Tuesday’s hearing was deferred due to the absence of the Solicitor General.

Next Steps

The case will be heard again in two weeks, during which the Supreme Court will likely consider:

• Hawara’s conduct over the years in Tihar Jail
• Security concerns related to his high-risk designation
• Precedent for transferring convicts convicted of high-profile cases
• Humanitarian considerations involving family proximity

Hawara’s plea underscores the tension between security protocols for high-risk prisoners and rights of convicts for humane treatment and family access, a key consideration in Indian prison jurisprudence.