1984 anti-Sikh riots case: Former Cong leader Sajjan Kumar surrenders in court amid high security

Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar Monday reached a court here amid tight security and surrendered to serve the life term for the "remainder of his natural life" awarded by the Delhi High Court in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

Kumar came to the courtroom surrounded by two-three commandos along with 20-25 Delhi Police personnel, including women, a police officer said.

He had Z-category security for the last two decades due to the threat perception to his life as he was also facing prosecution in other cases arising out of the 1984 riots.

Clad in a black coat and trousers, a cream coloured muffler and a blue cap, Kumar arrived at the Karkardooma court at 2:15 pm and surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg, who directed that he be lodged in Mandoli jail in northeast Delhi.

Kumar came to the courtroom flanked by his lawyers and surrounded by scores of security personnel. He was accompanied by his confidante Kailash and four-five advocates.

Outside the court complex, a group of Sikhs gathered raising slogans and showing the victory sign after Kumar surrendered.

Later, he was taken to the jail in a separate prison bus with two escorting vehicles.

Two other convicts -- Kishan Khokhar and Mahender Yadav -- who surrendered earlier in the day were also taken to Mandoli jail.

The high court on December 17 convicted and sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment for the "remainder of his natural life". After his conviction, Kumar resigned from the Congress party.

The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Delhi Cantonment's Raj Nagar Part-I area of southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II.

The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards.

In its judgment, the high court had noted that over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in the national capital during the 1984 riots which was indeed a "carnage of unbelievable proportions".

The high court had set aside the trial court's 2010 verdict which had acquitted Kumar in the case.