| Relu Ram Poonia MLA murder case or Poonia murders | |
|---|---|
| Location | India |
| Date | 23 August 2001 |
| Deaths | 8 |
The Relu Ram Poonia MLA murder case or Poonia murders was a mass murder of the Indian politician Relu Ram Poonia and seven of his family members. The murders were committed by Ram's daughter Sonia, along with her husband Sanjeev Kumar, on the night of 23 August 2001 over a property dispute. The case was filed and Sonia, Sanjeev and various members of his family were tried. The couple were convicted of the murder charges and sentenced to death by the district court. The sentence was reduced to life imprisonment by the Punjab and Haryana High Court but the death sentence was reinstated by the Supreme Court of India. The couple remained in jail during the process when, under the section 72 (1) of the Constitution of India, a mercy petition was raised. The petition went unanswered by then President Pratibha Patil but was rejected by her successor Pranab Mukherjee. However, the couple's death sentence was reverted to life imprisonment after a petition was filed by the civil rights group People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) citing delays in the disposal of the mercy plea as grounds for clemency, which the Supreme Court accepted in January 2014.[1][2]
Lal Bahadur Khowal, the counsel representing complainant Ram Singh, played a pivotal role in seeking justice for the victims. On September 1, saying that the apex court had upheld the judgement of the district court sentencing the couple to death and asked that the court fix a date for their hanging. Khowal shed light on the fact that the couple had initially received the death penalty from the sessions court, but they appealed this decision in the high court. Later on the High Court modified the sentence to life imprisonment for both convicts, deviating from the severity of the initial ruling.[3] Dissatisfied with the outcome, the complainant approached the Supreme Court, seeking justice. The Supreme Court, recognizing the gravity of the case, rejected the high court's decision and affirmed the order of the sessions judge in Hisar. Undeterred, the couple pursued a review petition, which was ultimately dismissed on August 23. Khowal pleaded in the Supreme Court that since the apex court had upheld the sessions judge's order and considering that no pending petitions existed in the case, Khowal passionately implored the court to set a date for the couple's execution. Acknowledging the significance of the matter, the court requested reports from the apex court and subsequently scheduled the execution date for today. The relentless efforts of Lal Bahadur Khowal have undeniably played a crucial role in ensuring that justice is served in this highly contentious case. His unwavering determination and legal acumen have paved the way for a resolution that upholds the integrity of the judicial system.[4]