A Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi sentenced former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar to life imprisonment for his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, specifically in the Saraswati Vihar violence case. This is the second life sentence handed to Kumar, who is already serving a term for his involvement in the Delhi Cantonment riots case.
During the hearing, the Delhi Police and the victims urged the court to classify the case as “rarest of the rare” and demanded capital punishment for the former MP. In their written submission, the police argued that this case was even more gruesome than the Nirbhaya case, as it targeted an entire community rather than an individual.
However, the Special Judge Kaveri Baweja — who had reserved her order on February 21 after hearing arguments on quantum of sentence — turned down the prosecution’s demand for awarding the death penalty to Kumar.
The case pertains to the murders of two Sikh men—Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh—on November 1, 1984, in Saraswati Vihar, Delhi. The two victims were brutally killed during the riots that followed the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
While convicting Kumar, Baweja had on February 12 said, “In the light of… the evidence on record considered in its totality, I am of the opinion that Prosecution has been able to prove its case against the Accused beyond reasonable doubt.”
Kumar (79) is already serving life imprisonment in another anti-Sikh riots related case and the Supreme Court has refused to grant him bail.
He has been in jail since December 31, 2018 when he surrendered after being convicted and awarded life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court in a case relating to 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Raj Nagar Part-I area in Palam Colony in South West Delhi in which five Sikhs were killed on November 1-2, 1984, and a Gurdwara was burnt down in Raj Nagar part II.
His appeal against conviction and sentence order of the high court is pending in the Supreme Court. Moreover, on September 20, 2023, Special Judge Geetanjli Goel had acquitted Sajjan Kumar in a case related to murder of a person during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Sultanpuri area of the national capital, giving him “benefit of doubt”. The State’s appeal against his acquittal is pending in the Delhi High Court.
The fourth case against Kumar in connection with a culpable homicide in Janakpuri area during the 1984 riots is listed before Special Judge Baweja for evidence on February 18. Around 3,000 people, mostly Sikhs, were killed in the anti-Sikh riots that broke out following the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards.
The case relates to the killings of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh on November 1, 1984. Punjabi Bagh police station registered the case and the probe was subsequently taken over by a special investigation team. On December 16, 2021, the court had framed charges against Kumar, finding a “prima facie” case against him.