The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has informed the Supreme Court that it will supply witness statements to Kalyani Singh, the prime accused in the Sippy Sidhu murder case. This decision follows the recent framing of charges against Singh by the special CBI court. Kalyani Singh, daughter of former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Sabina, is charged under sections 302 (murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.
Case Background
Sippy Sidhu, a national-level shooter and lawyer, was murdered in Chandigarh in September 2015. The CBI took over the investigation from the Chandigarh Police in 2016. Kalyani Singh was arrested in June 2022 and later released on bail. She has been accused of conspiring and executing the murder due to personal enmity.
Supreme Court’s Directive
The Supreme Court has directed the CBI to provide Singh with all documents and witness statements that have been shared with the victim’s family. This directive came after Singh filed a plea for access to these documents to prepare her defense adequately. The bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and KV Viswanathan emphasized the importance of a fair trial and the right of the accused to access relevant materials for their defense【127†source】【128†source】.
Current Status
Charges have now been formally framed against Kalyani Singh, and the trial is set to proceed. The CBI’s commitment to supplying the necessary documents to the defense is seen as a step towards ensuring transparency and fairness in the judicial process.