Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court has convicted Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Kumar is currently lodged in Tihar jail. The case pertains to the murder of a Sikh father, Jaswant Singh, and his son, Tarundeep Singh, in Delhi’s Saraswati Vihar area on November 1, 1984. The court found Sajjan Kumar guilty of inciting a mob and murder. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja delivered the verdict in the case of Jaswant Singh and his son, Tarundeep Singh, who were killed on November 1, 1984. Jaswant’s wife, the complainant, along with the prosecution, had sought the death penalty for Sajjan Kumar.

Reacting to the verdict, Advocate HS Phoolka said, “Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court has awarded life imprisonment to Sajjan Kumar in two cases – murder and setting houses on fire…In the judgement, the judge has written that capital punishment has not been awarded as Sajjan Kumar is 80 years old and is suffering from various diseases…The Judge has awarded the maximum imprisonment possible…”

Murder carries a maximum sentence of the death penalty and a minimum of life imprisonment. On February 12, the court convicted Kumar and requested a psychiatric and psychological evaluation report from Tihar Central Jail, following a Supreme Court directive for cases involving potential capital punishment.

Though Punjabi Bagh Police Station registered the case, a special investigation team took over the investigation much later. The prosecution alleged a huge mob, armed with deadly weapons, resorted to large-scale looting, arson and destruction of properties of Sikhs to avenge the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The mob attacked the house of the complainant, wife of Jaswant, killing the men aside from looting articles and setting their house ablaze, the prosecution claimed. (With agency inputs)

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