1988 road rage case 'an accident, nothing else': Sidhu

Hours after the Supreme Court convicted him for voluntarily hurting a 65-year-old man but spared him a jail term, Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu today described the 1988 road rage case as "an accident, nothing else" and said he has been a survivor all his life.

Sidhu thanked God for helping him during the "trying times" and expressed gratitude to people for their blessings.

A bench of justices J Chelameswar and Sanjay Kishan Kaul reversed the findings of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had convicted Sidhu for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and sentenced him to three years in jail.

The Supreme Court bench also imposed a Rs 1,000-fine on the cricketer-turned-politician.

"Well, it was an accident, nothing else," Sidhu told reporters. He said the apex court too said it was an accident.

Asked whether he regretted the episode, Sidhu said: "A life was lost and everybody will regret it. But the court says it was an accident. I have submitted to the majesty of the law and whatever the court says I abide by it."
"You will never see me cribbing and pointing fingers at others. I am strong enough to carry my burden on my own shoulder," he said. "The Almighty has always helped him tide over difficult circumstances. It is the grace of God which has helped me through trying times."
On the Karnataka poll results disappointing the Congress, Sidhu said he does not think Rahul Gandhi's leadership would be questioned. "Rahul bhai is a leader in ascent. He is a man of character. He is growing every day, evolving every day."