Two Indian-Origin Citizens To Be Extradited By Canada’s SC:- The Supreme Court of Canada ruled on Friday that two of its citizens can be extradited to India for their alleged role in a 17-year old honor killing case.
The accused Surjit Singh Badesha (72) and Malkit kaur Sidhu (67) are wanted in connection with the murder of Jaswinder kaur Sidhu, who was 25 years old at the time of her death. The suspects, both Canadian citizens of Indian origin, are the uncle and mother of the slain woman.
In June 2000 in Punjab state, the body of Jaswinder Kaur Sidhu was found with her throat slit. The Indian prosecutors said that Jaswinder was a victim of honor killing planned by her mother and uncle. The duo furiously opposed the young woman’s marriage to a poor rickshaw driver. The victim had kept it as a secret for a year.
After revealing her marriage to her family, the victim reportedly flew from Canada to India to reunite with her husband, Mithu Sidhu. In June 2000, the couple was attacked as they rode a scooter in a village near Sangrur, Punjab. Jaswinder’s husband was severely beaten and left for dead while she was kidnapped and later killed. The thugs that carried out the attack, were allegedly hired by the slain woman’s mother and uncle.
Around seven men were eventually guilty of the crime in India, but several of those convictions were overturned on appeal. However, the family has refuted the allegations and further denied involvement in the killing.
Three people were found guilty of the murder in India, and the authorities have been seeking the extradition of the two Indo-Canadians for years. In 2014, an extradition was granted by Canada's justice minister, but in 2016, the ruling was reversed.
The extradition was authorized by nine Supreme Court justices unanimously on Friday. “In this case, it was reasonable for the minister to conclude that, on the basis of the assurances he received from India, there was no substantial risk of torture or mistreatment” of the suspects “that would offend the principles of fundamental justice” in the Canadian constitution, the ruling read.
The family pride and having relationships outside of one’s caste or religion, could be the reasons for disapproval of the slain woman’s marriage and termed their murder as “honor” killing.
SUPRAJA
