Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu is set to walk free on Saturday after spending about 10 months in Patiala's central jail. The former Punjab Congress president was jailed on May 20 last year, sentenced to one-year rigorous imprisonment by the Supreme Court over the death of 65-year-old Gurnam Singh in a road rage case in 1988.
According to news agency PTI, several Congress leaders and supporters chanted 'Navjot Sidhu zindabad' as they assembled outside the prison to accord the 59-year-old former cricketer a grand welcome upon his release.
'Dhol' players were arranged by his supporters outside the jail to welcome the cricketer-turned-politician.
The development was shared on Sidhu's Twitter account on Friday: "This is to inform everyone that Sardar Navjot Singh Sidhu will be released from Patiala Jail tomorrow. (As informed by the concerned authorities)."
Navjot Sidhu's account is being managed by his team in his absence.
The cricketer-turned-politician's release is bound to stir the Punjab unit of the Congress which was trounced by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the February 2022 state election.
The release is happening earlier due to Navjot Sidhu's good conduct during imprisonment, as allowed under the rules, his lawyer told news agency PTI.
Navjot Singh Sidhu's family has got an intimation from authorities regarding his release from the Patiala jail, his lawyer HPS Varma said on Friday.
Varma said that "a convict with good behaviour is entitled for general remission of one day (Sunday) a week and it translates into 45 days of remission on March 31".
He had also remained in jail for three days in 2007 in the same case. With this, he was eligible for release on April 1, the lawyer mentioned.
Supporters Prepare For Grand Welcome
The Congress leader's son Karan Sidhu told reporters in Patiala that information regarding his release had been received from officials concerned. He said his father is expected to come out of prison on Saturday afternoon.
Several Congress leaders and Navjot Sidhu's supporters are making preparations for giving him a grand welcome.
Congress leader and former MLA Navtej Singh Cheema said they will take Navjot Sidhu from the jail to his residence in Patiala after he is released. Leader of Opposition in the assembly Partap Singh Bajwa and party leader Laal Singh on Friday met Navjot Sidhu in the jail, he mentioned, as per PTI.
Information has been given to all Congress workers and many are expected to gather in Patiala on Saturday, Karan Sidhu said.
Navjot Sidhu's wife, Navjot Kaur Sidhu recently revealed that she has been diagnosed with stage two invasive cancer. She put out an emotional tweet on Friday saying, "Navjot's love for Punjab had driven him beyond the realm of any attachment".
It is not clear what role the Congress will give the former cricketer once he is out of jail. Ahead of the 2022 assembly election, the party leadership had declared Charanjit Singh Channi as its chief ministerial face, ignoring Navjot Sidhu, who was the then party's state president.
The party, however, failed to return to power in the state.