A Delhi court is set to pronounce its judgment today in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case involving former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar. The case pertains to the killing of a father-son duo, Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh, in the Saraswati Vihar area on November 1, 1984.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja will deliver the verdict on Friday, after having reserved the order on January 31 following additional submissions made by Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat.
The case revolves around the killings of Jaswant Singh and Tarundeep Singh. Advocate Anil Sharma, representing Sajjan Kumar, argued that the accused’s name was not mentioned in the initial investigation and that international law should not apply in this context. Sharma also noted that there was a significant delay—16 years—in naming Sajjan Kumar by a witness. Additionally, he pointed out that a case in which Sajjan Kumar had been convicted by the Delhi High Court is currently pending before the Supreme Court.
On the other hand, Additional Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat responded that the victim had not initially known Sajjan Kumar. Once she identified him, she included his name in her statement. Senior Advocate H.S. Phoolka, who represented the riot victims, argued that police investigations had been manipulated to protect the accused and that during the riots, the situation was extraordinary. Phoolka stated that these cases should be handled with this context in mind.
Phoolka referred to the Delhi High Court judgment in the 1984 anti-Sikh riot case related to Delhi Cantt, where the court had called the riots a “crime against humanity.” He emphasized that the objective of genocide is to target minorities, and cited official figures indicating that 2,700 Sikhs were killed in Delhi during the riots. Phoolka further referenced judgments delivered by foreign courts on genocide and crimes against humanity, including the Geneva Convention, to support his argument.
He also pointed out that while a charge sheet against Sajjan Kumar was prepared in 1992, it was never filed, suggesting that the police were attempting to shield him. Phoolka argued that the Supreme Court had taken the delay seriously and had ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to reinvestigate the cases.
On November 1, 2023, Sajjan Kumar denied all the charges leveled against him when his statement was recorded in court. Initially, an FIR was registered at the Punjabi Bagh police station, but the case was later investigated by the SIT, formed following the recommendations of the Justice G.P. Mathur Committee. This committee had recommended the reopening of 114 cases, including this one.
On December 16, 2021, the court framed charges against Sajjan Kumar under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including charges related to unlawful assembly, murder, arson, and rioting. The SIT alleges that Sajjan Kumar led the mob responsible for the deaths of Jaswant Singh and Tarundeep Singh. Under his instigation, the mob set their house on fire, destroyed property, and inflicted severe injuries on family members and relatives.
Material witnesses were traced and examined during the investigation. The complainant, who later identified the accused, provided detailed statements regarding the violence, including the looting, arson, and murders of her husband and son. She also stated that her sister-in-law had later died due to injuries inflicted during the incident.
This case has become a significant part of the ongoing efforts to bring justice to the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
-IANS
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