New Delhi, February 25:
A Delhi court has sentenced former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar to life imprisonment for the murder of a father and son during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Saraswati Vihar, Delhi. The verdict was delivered by Special Judge Kaveri Baweja, who had earlier reserved the order on February 21 after hearing arguments on the sentencing.
The prosecution had pushed for the death penalty, calling it a “rarest of rare” case, but the court declined the request. Additional Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat argued that Kumar’s actions warranted the death sentence, while the victim’s family also sought capital punishment.
On February 12, while convicting Kumar, the court ruled that the prosecution had provided sufficient evidence to prove his involvement beyond a reasonable doubt. In addition to murder, Kumar was found guilty of rioting, dacoity, attempted grievous harm, culpable homicide, and arson as part of an unlawful assembly.
Kumar Already Serving Life Sentence in Another Case
Kumar, 79, is already serving a life sentence in another 1984 riots-related case. His bail plea was previously rejected by the Supreme Court. He has been in custody since December 31, 2018, after being convicted by the Delhi High Court for his role in the Raj Nagar Part-I massacre, where five Sikhs were killed, and a Gurdwara was set on fire on November 1-2, 1984. His appeal against that conviction is pending in the Supreme Court.
Previous Acquittal and Ongoing Cases
On September 20, 2023, a Delhi court acquitted Kumar in another case related to the murder of a person in Sultanpuri during the riots, citing “benefit of doubt.” However, the state has challenged this decision in the Delhi High Court. Additionally, another case involving culpable homicide in Janakpuri during the riots is still under trial, with the next hearing scheduled for February 18.
1984 Riots and Case Background
Following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her Sikh bodyguards, violent riots erupted across India, resulting in the deaths of approximately 3,000 people, predominantly Sikhs. The current case pertains to the killings of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh on November 1, 1984. The Punjabi Bagh police initially registered the case, which was later transferred to a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
In 2015, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) established the SIT to reinvestigate cases related to the 1984 riots. Based on the SIT’s findings, the complainant recorded her statement on November 23, 2016, which led to Kumar’s arrest on April 6, 2021, while he was already serving a life sentence.
This is the second conviction stemming from cases reopened on the SIT’s recommendations. In a separate 2018 case, one individual was sentenced to death, and another received life imprisonment for the murder of three people in Mahipalpur during the riots. Their appeals are currently pending in the Delhi High Court.
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