US Sikh body files amended plea against Sonia Gandhi

Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has filed an amended class action complaint against Congress President Sonia Gandhi, accusing her of protecting and shielding party leaders allegedly involved in the November 1984 anti-Sikh violence.

The complaint filed Wednesday in a US federal court here by the US based rights group and some victims of the 1984 violence says the US court has jurisdiction over the case under US law.

The 38- page complaint demanding a jury trial of Sonia Gandhi alleges that her "acts and omissions were deliberate, wilful, intentional, wanton and malicious and should be punished by an award of compensatory and punitive damages."

Sonia Gandhi has till Dec 11 to inform the US Court whether she intends to answer the human rights violation allegations or move to dismiss, according to SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant S Pannun.

The US court had last month given SFJ time till Dec 3 to file an amended complaint against Gandhi.

SFJ and violence victims are seeking compensatory and punitive damages against Gandhi for allegedly shielding and protecting several Congress party leaders.

While SFJ claims that the court summons were served on Sonia Gandhi through hospital and security staff at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in New York on Sep 9, Gandhi's attorneys had challenged the service of summons.