1984 riots: Delhi court to record prosecution evidence on Oct 12 against Sajjan Kumar

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Thursday said that it will record on October 12 prosecution evidence for rioting and other charges against former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

On Wednesday, the court had acquitted Kumar in connection with the alleged killing of three Sikhs during the riots. Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court acquitted Kumar with other accused individuals in the case.

In the current matter, which pertains to two cases of riots in Janakpuri and Vikaspuri areas in 1984, Special Judge MK Nagpal has listed it for recording of prosecution evidence on October 12.

The Janakpuri case pertains to the killing of two Sikhs, Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh, on November 1, 1984. The second case was registered in Vikaspuri police station related to the burning of Gurcharan Singh on November 2, 1984.

In August, Special Judge Nagpal had framed charges against Kumar under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including that of rioting, attempt to murder, promoting enmity between religious groups, and causing hurt, in a case related to the burning of a Gurudwara during the 1984 riots.

Nagpal had called Kumar the principal abettor. The court had found sufficient oral and documentary evidence presented by the prosecution to support the contention that an unlawful assembly consisting of a large mob with weapons had gathered near a Gurudwara in Delhi's Nawada area on November 1, 1984.

However, while Kumar was charged as a part of this mob, he was discharged of the charge of murder (under Section 302 of IPC) in a separate incident on November 2, 1984, which resulted in two deaths and several injuries outside the Congress party’s office in Uttam Nagar.

Regarding the November 1 incident, the court had observed that Kumar had prima facie instigated other unidentified members of the mob to commit illegal acts, including burning down of the Gurudwara, damaging or looting articles, burning homes, and inflicting injuries on individuals.

The mob's objective was to set the Gurudwara on fire, loot its contents, destroy Sikh residences, and harm or kill Sikhs in retaliation for the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.