Ex-Congress MP Sajjan Kumar convicted in 1984 anti-Sikh riots murder case

Sajjan Kumar is currently serving a life sentence for his involvement in another anti-Sikh riots case in Delhi Cantt

Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday convicted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. The case pertains to the killing of a father-son duo, Jaswant Singh and Tarundeep Singh, in the Saraswati Vihar area of the national capital on November 1, 1984, reported The Hindustan Times.

 

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja delivered the conviction order, marking a significant development in the decades-long pursuit of justice for victims of the 1984 riots. The court has scheduled February 18 for arguments on sentencing. Kumar, who is already serving a life sentence in another anti-Sikh riots case linked to the Delhi Cantonment area, was produced before the court from Tihar Jail.

 

The 1984 anti-Sikh riots: What happened?

 

The prosecution recounted how an armed mob unleashed large-scale looting, arson, and destruction of Sikh properties in retaliation for the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her Sikh bodyguards.

 

The court found that the mob not only looted and set fire to Singh’s house but also murdered Jaswant Singh and his son in cold blood. The order explicitly stated that Sajjan Kumar was not merely a participant but a leader of the violent mob.

 

“The court found sufficient material to form a prima facie opinion that he was not only a participant but had also led the mob,” the judgment read. 

Legal arguments and courtroom drama

 

During the hearings, defence counsel Advocate Anil Sharma argued that Sajjan Kumar’s name was not initially part of the case records. He also noted that another conviction against Kumar by the Delhi High Court is currently under appeal before the Supreme Court.

 

However, Additional Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat countered by stating that the victim was initially unaware of Kumar’s identity but later named him in her statement.

 

Senior Advocate HS Phoolka, who represented riot victims, argued that the police investigations in the 1984 Sikh riots cases had been manipulated. He cited the Delhi High Court’s judgment, emphasising that the killings were not isolated incidents but part of a larger, orchestrated massacre.

 

According to official figures, 2,700 Sikhs were killed in Delhi during the riots.

 

Who is Sajjan Kumar?

 

Sajjan Kumar, a former Congress MP, was first elected to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi in 1977 and went on to become a prominent political figure. He won the 2004 Lok Sabha elections from Outer Delhi and remained a key Congress leader until his legal troubles.

 

On November 1, 1984, multiple witnesses testified that Kumar incited mobs to attack the Sikh community in revenge for Indira Gandhi’s assassination. In 2018, he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in another 1984 riots case.