1984 anti-Sikh riots case: Delhi court acquits Sajjan Kumar in Janakpuri, Vikaspuri violence matter

A Delhi court on Thursday acquitted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a case linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The order was passed by the Rouse Avenue Court. The case related to incidents reported from Janakpuri and Vikaspuri in West Delhi.

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With this ruling, Kumar stands cleared in this matter. The court had earlier dropped the charge of murder against him.

The violence in question followed the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

What the case was about

The prosecution had accused Kumar of involvement in three incidents during the riots.

These included the alleged killing of two Sikhs, Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh, in Janakpuri, and a separate incident in Vikaspuri where Gurcharan Singh was allegedly set on fire.

The case was reopened decades later after a Special Investigation Team was formed on the recommendation of the Justice G.P. Mathur Committee. The SIT was tasked with revisiting 114 riot-related cases.

Charges were formally framed against Kumar in August 2023 under several sections of the Indian Penal Code. These included rioting, promoting enmity, causing injuries, attempt to murder, dacoity and arson.

However, the murder charge under Section 302, applied earlier by the SIT, was later dropped. Following that, Kumar was discharged from the murder count.

How the trial reached its end

The trial concluded on September 23 last year.

Final arguments were heard, after which the court reserved its verdict on December 22. Both sides were allowed to file written submissions.

During the closing stage, the Central Bureau of Investigation told the court it would submit written arguments within a week. Kumar was later asked to file his response.

Special Judge Digvijay Singh reserved the verdict after hearing both sides.

The judgment was deferred three times, ie on December 16, January 8 and January 31. On each occasion, Kumar, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail, appeared before the court through video conferencing under tight security.

Earlier in the proceedings, Kumar pleaded not guilty. He maintained that there was no material evidence against him and said he was not present at the sites of violence, claiming he could not have been involved in the alleged offences “even in his wildest dreams”.

On November 9, 2023, the court recorded the statement of victim Manjeet Kaur. She told the court she had heard members of the mob say that Sajjan Kumar was present during the violence, but clarified that she did not personally see him at the spot.

Kumar has faced multiple cases linked to the riots. In an earlier case, the Delhi High Court sentenced him to life imprisonment, observing that he had evaded justice for decades due to “political patronage”. His appeal in that matter is pending before the Supreme Court.