New Delhi: Former Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Sajjan Kumar faces a maximum of death penalty and a minimum of life sentence in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which he was held guilty for murder of two persons by a city court on Wednesday (February 12).
Special judge Kaveri Baweja convicted Kumar under sections 147 (rioting), 302 (murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) 395 (dacoity), 397 (robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, etc), and 440 (mischief committed after preparation made for causing death or hurt) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The court would hear arguments on sentence on February 18.
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Case pertains to killings of two persons during 1984 anti-Sikh riots
The case pertains to the killings of two person – Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh – in Saraswati Vihar area in Delhi during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which erupted following the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.
Kumar was part of an unlawful assembly and instigated the mob: Court
The court said that Kumar was part of an unlawful assembly and instigated the mob, which was armed with deadly weapons, and is guilty of having committed the murder of Jaswant Singh and Tarundeep Singh and that the members of the said unlawful assembly were armed with iron rods, lathis, bricks, etc., and it proves the alleged offences were committed after having made preparations
The court said that a mob took part in rioting and killed the victims and it has further been established that “Kumar, being a member of such unlawful assembly, is guilty of having committed the murder of Jaswant Singh and Tarundeep Singh, the husband and son of the complainant, during the incident.” It further said that “the complainant who witnessed the brutal killing of her husband and son can certainly not be expected to forget the face of the person who was instigating the mob to carry out the said killings and looting and her deposition in court fortifies her stand that it is accused who was not only present during the alleged incident but also instigating and leading the mob which resulted in commission of the aforesaid offences.”
Kumar was earlier convicted in another 1984 anti-Sikh riots case
Kumar was earlier sentenced for life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court in 2018 for his role in the killings of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar, Palam Colony and the burning of a Gurdwara and he is currently serving the sentence in Tihar Jail.
