Anti-Sikh riots: Security threat forces adjournment of hearing

A suspected "security threat" intimated by the Delhi Police to the court today led it to adjourn hearing midway in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and others are facing trial.
Court sources said District Judge J R Aryan adjourned the hearing for March 23 after an ACP of the Delhi Police met the judge in his chamber during lunch time and apprised him of intelligence information on "security threat" on court premises.
CBI prosecutor R S Cheema was also called in by the judge and he was informed about it and the proceedings were adjourned by the court which was hearing final arguments by the agency counsel.

The arguments were expected to conclude today following which the court would pronounce its verdict in the high-profile case.
Meanwhile, during the hearing, Cheema, assisted by advocate D P Singh, argued that the statement of prosecution witness Ram Avtar Sharma, who had saved several Sikhs during the riots in Raj Nagar area of Delhi Cantonment, was corroborating its case and there were only minor deviations in his testimony which would not affect the case.
He also said that Ram Avtar's statement also establishes the presence of another witness Jagsher Singh at the spot.

To strengthen their argument that the Delhi Police had arrested the persons who were saving and providing shelters to the Sikhs, the prosecutor referred to the statement of witness Jagsher Singh.

He said Jagsher Singh had deposed that a Hindu man (Ram Avtar) was arrested by police for providing shelter to Sikhs during the carnage.
Former Delhi MP Sajjan Kumar is facing trial along with five others - Balwan Khokkar, Kishan Khokkar, Mahender Yadav, Girdhari Lal and Captain Bhagmal - for allegedly inciting a mob against the Sikh community in Delhi Cantonment area.
The case relates to anti-Sikh riots that had broken out after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.