New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday acquitted two persons facing trial for their alleged involvement in an Indian Airlines plane hijacking in 1981.
The Patiala House court acquitted Satnam Singh and Tajinder Pal Singh who were accused of hijacking an Indian Airlines Boeing 737. The Delhi-Srinagar bound plane carrying over 100 passengers was hijacked mid-air and diverted to Lahore in Pakistan on September 29, 1981.
Both hijackers were tried on the charges of waging of war against state in the case. After they served life imprisonment punishment, they moved to the United States and Canada, respectively. They were later deported to India in the year 1998 and 1999.
Both had sought acquittal from the court during trial on the ground of double jeopardy as both had already served life sentence in Pakistan for the alleged crime.
The plane was hijacked by at least five Sikh hijackers.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]