1984 anti-Sikh riot case: Delhi HC rejects Sajjan Kumar's plea to change judge

The Delhi High Court on Friday rejected Congress leader Sajjan Kumar's plea to change the judge hearing 1984 anti-Sikh riot case filed against him.

Kumar's case was transferred to the Patiala House court by the high court which directed the district judge to video record the proceedings at the cost of the accused.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had moved the high court challenging the acquittal of Kumar in a case relating to killing of five Sikhs -Kehar Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Raghuvender Singh, Narender Pal Singh and Kuldeep Singh.

Kumar, who was acquitted by a trial court in 2013 of charges of being involved in the murder of five Sikhs by a mob in Delhi Cantonment's Raj Nagar area during the riots, has asked for another hench to hear the case.

CBI special prosecutor Senior Advocate R.S. Cheema informed the court that the FIR in this particular case was registered only in 2005, and therefore, the matter was still pending.

A lower court had held five people guilty in the case and awarded them sentences of varying terms, but acquitted Kumar.