SC grants relief to anti-Sikh riots case accused Sajjan Kumar

The Supreme Court on Monday granted relief to Congress party leader Sajjan Kumar, who is one of the accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, saying it would not intervene with a Delhi High Court order that granted bail to Kumar in the case.

The apex court raised several questions in this regard and said, "If the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) would have wanted, they could have arrested Sajjan Kumar in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008."

Sajjan Kumar was granted bail by the Delhi High Court on February 26 in connection with two cases registered against him in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

The Karkardooma Court had on February 23 issued a fresh non-bailable warrant against Kumar and slammed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for its failure to arrest Kumar and others accused in the case.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Lokesh Kumar Sharma had refuted the plea of investigating agencies to issue a proclamation against the accused on the ground that he was absconding.

Earlier, the court had issued two non-bailable warrants against Kumar, who had surrendered before the court on March 10.

The CBI, which arrested one out of 12 accused, said that it conducted raids at Kumar''s residence four times after the warrant was issued on February 17, but failed to apprehend him. It also asked the court to declare the former MP and other accused as absconders.

The CBI had on January 13 charge-sheeted Kumar and others in the two cases accusing them of making provocative speeches, leading to the killing of 12 persons in the riots that followed the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.