Prosecution calls for death penalty for Sajjan Kumar in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case

The prosecution seeks the death penalty for former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, convicted for his role in the brutal killing of a father-son duo during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The case has sparked calls for justice from victims and their families.

The prosecution in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case has called for the death penalty for former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, who was convicted for the brutal killing of a father-son duo in Delhi’s Saraswati Vihar area during the riots.

Kumar was found guilty of the murders of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh on November 1, 1984. The Additional Public Prosecutor (APP), Manish Rawat, filed written submissions before the court, urging for the maximum penalty in accordance with guidelines from cases like Nirbhaya and others, arguing that the case falls under the "rarest of rare" category.

The case was heard by Special Judge Kaveri Baweja, who has scheduled the next hearing for February 21, where arguments on sentencing will be heard. Both the defence and prosecution have been asked to file their submissions before the next date. Senior advocate H.S. Phoolka, representing the victims, is also expected to file his written arguments. However, the defence counsel was unable to appear due to a lawyers’ strike and requested additional time to present their case.

In his argument, APP Rawat emphasised that the incident was a targeted attack on an entire community without provocation. He stated that the violence deeply damaged the social fabric and harmony of the community, with long-lasting impacts on inter-community relations.

On February 12, the Rouse Avenue court convicted the former Congress MP in connection with the anti-Sikh riots case, with Kumar currently serving a life sentence in another case related to the violence in Delhi Cantonment. The court had reserved its order on the matter following additional submissions from the prosecutor on January 31.

The defence, represented by Advocate Anil Sharma, had raised several objections, including the delay in naming Kumar as a suspect. Sharma pointed out that Kumar’s name had not appeared in the initial investigation and was only mentioned after a lengthy delay, suggesting the police's failure to act promptly.

Phoolka, who has long represented the victims in the 1984 Sikh genocide cases, condemned the lack of proper police investigations at the time, alleging that the police deliberately tried to shield the accused. He referred to the broader context of the violence, noting that the Delhi High Court had labelled the riots as a "crime against humanity." Phoolka also cited official figures showing that over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in Delhi, underlining the scale of the atrocity.

The case against Kumar resurfaced after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was set up based on the recommendations of the Justice G.P. Mathur Committee, which had called for the reopening of 114 cases linked to the anti-Sikh violence. The SIT’s investigation uncovered new evidence and testimony, leading to the framing of charges against Kumar in 2021. Kumar allegedly led a mob that burned alive the two victims, destroyed their property, and inflicted serious injuries on their family members.

(With inputs from ANI) 

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