Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar Convicted in 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Case
Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on Wednesday convicted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case linked to the killing of a father-son duo in Saraswati Vihar on November 1, 1984. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja passed the order, stating that Kumar not only participated in the mob but also led it. The matter has been listed for sentencing arguments on February 18, while Kumar remains in Tihar Jail, already serving a life sentence in another riot-related case.
The prosecution argued that an armed mob carried out large-scale looting, arson, and attacks on Sikhs following the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The court found sufficient evidence to convict Kumar of the murders of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh, whose house was looted and set on fire by the rioters. The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee welcomed the verdict, calling it a step towards long-awaited justice.
Sajjan Kumar, a former Congress MP and ex-Municipal Councillor of Delhi, had won the 2004 Lok Sabha elections from Outer Delhi. Witnesses testified that he incited mobs to attack Sikhs, allegedly in retaliation for Gandhi’s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. The verdict is seen as a landmark decision, and victims’ lawyers hope it will pave the way for convictions in other pending cases, including that of Congress leader Jagdish Tytler.
Pic Courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright
