A Delhi court has convicted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a case related to the brutal killings of a father and son in Saraswati Vihar on November 1, 1984. The verdict was delivered by Special Judge Kaveri Baweja at the Rouse Avenue Court.
Sajjan Kumar, who is already serving a life sentence in another 1984 riots case linked to the Delhi Cantonment killings, was physically produced before the court for the proceedings. The court had earlier reserved its verdict on January 31 after hearing final arguments, including additional submissions from Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat.
The case pertains to the killing of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh, who were murdered during the wave of anti-Sikh violence that erupted in Delhi following the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The prosecution argued that Kumar incited and led the mob that attacked and burned Sikh homes, resulting in the deaths of several individuals.
Senior advocate H.S. Phoolka, representing the victims, contended that police investigations into the anti-Sikh riots were deliberately manipulated to shield the accused. He cited the Delhi High Court’s earlier judgment, which had characterized the riots as a “crime against humanity” and part of a “larger massacre” targeting Sikhs. The court had also acknowledged that the objective of genocide is always the targeting of minorities.
Phoolka further argued that official figures recorded 2,700 Sikhs killed in Delhi alone in 1984, emphasizing that such extraordinary circumstances necessitated special legal considerations. He also drew parallels with international legal precedents and referenced the Geneva Convention, under which mass killings targeting specific communities have been categorized as genocide.
Despite the gravity of the case, delays and institutional hurdles hindered justice. A charge sheet against Kumar was initially prepared in 1992, but authorities allegedly failed to file it in court, reinforcing suspicions of police efforts to protect the powerful politician. It was only after a Supreme Court intervention that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to reopen 114 riot cases, including this one.
The SIT’s findings led to fresh evidence, with key witnesses tracing back their traumatic accounts of looting, arson, and killings. One witness, a surviving family member of the victims, recalled how she identified Sajjan Kumar only after seeing his photograph in a magazine nearly two months after the attack. Her testimony, recorded under Section 161 Cr.P.C. in 2016, became crucial in establishing Kumar’s role in orchestrating the violence.
Sajjan Kumar has been convicted under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including murder (Section 302), rioting (Sections 147 and 148), and abetment to violence (Section 149). The court found that Kumar instigated and led the mob, which set Sikh homes ablaze, looted property, and mercilessly killed victims.
His conviction in this case adds to his legal troubles, as he is already serving a life sentence in the Delhi Cantt riots case. Meanwhile, an appeal challenging his previous conviction is pending before the Supreme Court.
(Inputs from ANI)
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