1984 Anti-Sikh Riots: Ex-Congress MP Sajjan Kumar Convicted in Murder Case

The Rouse Avenue court convicted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in connection with the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots. The case pertains to the brutal killing of Jaswant Singh and his son, Tarundeep Singh, in Saraswati Vihar on November 1, 1984. Sajjan Kumar is already serving a life sentence for his involvement in another Anti-Sikh riots case related to the Delhi Cantt area.

The verdict was delivered by Special Judge Kaveri Baweja, who pronounced Kumar guilty. The former MP was physically produced before the court for the judgment. Earlier, on January 31, the court had reserved its order after hearing additional submissions from Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat.

The case revolves around the deaths of the father-son duo in Saraswati Vihar, a part of the larger tragedy that unfolded during the 1984 riots. Kumar’s defense, presented by Advocate Anil Sharma, argued that his name was not initially linked to the incident. Sharma further contended that there was a delay of 16 years in identifying Sajjan Kumar, and he questioned the applicability of international law in this case. He also pointed out that a separate case in which Sajjan Kumar was convicted by the Delhi High Court is currently under appeal before the Supreme Court.

In response, Additional Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat rejected these arguments, asserting that the victim's family members had only recognized Sajjan Kumar after the incident, which led them to name him in their statements.

Senior Advocate H.S. Phoolka, who represented the victims, emphasized that the police investigations into the Sikh riots were manipulated to protect the accused. He argued that the extraordinary nature of the riots required cases like these to be addressed in a broader context. Phoolka further referred to previous judgments, including the Delhi High Court's ruling on the Delhi Cantt case, which had categorized the riots as a "crime against humanity." He also highlighted the fact that over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in the Delhi violence of 1984, reinforcing his argument that the events were part of a larger genocidal campaign targeting minorities.

The court was also informed that Sajjan Kumar had been named in the charge sheet in 1992, but the police had failed to file it in court, indicating a possible cover-up. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) later took over the case, which had been initially registered in Punjabi Bagh Police Station. The SIT's investigation led to the reopening of 114 cases, including this one.

The court had framed charges against Sajjan Kumar in December 2021 under multiple sections, including charges for rioting, murder, and arson. The SIT’s investigation alleged that Kumar had led the mob responsible for the killings, which included the burning of the victims alive, looting, and the destruction of their property.

During the investigation, crucial witnesses were located and their statements were recorded. In a key testimony, a family member of the victims recounted the events of looting, arson, and murder, confirming the involvement of Sajjan Kumar and his mob in the atrocities.