Ex-Congress Leader Sajjan Kumar Gets Life Sentence for 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Murders

On Tuesday a Delhi court awarded life imprisonment to former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar after finding him guilty of murdering a father and son during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi's Saraswati Vihar area.

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja rejected the prosecution's request for the death penalty in the case, which involved the killings of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh on November 1, 1984, just one day after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination. 

A History of Cases Against Kumar

This conviction marks the second time Kumar has received a life sentence for his role in the riots. The 79-year-old former MP is already serving life imprisonment for another case related to the killing of five Sikhs in Delhi's Raj Nagar area during the same period of violence. 

"In light of the evidence on record considered in its totality, I am of the opinion that Prosecution has been able to prove its case against the Accused beyond reasonable doubt," Judge Baweja stated while convicting Kumar on February 12. 

Charges and Investigation 

Kumar was also convicted of rioting, dacoity, attempting to cause death, committing culpable homicide, and burning the victim's house as part of an unlawful assembly. 

According to prosecutors, a large mob armed with deadly weapons attacked the home of Jaswant Singh's wife, killing her husband and son and looted their belongings and set their house on fire.  The attackers were taking revenge of the Indira Gandhi's assassination by her two Sikh bodyguards.

SIT Reopened Cold Cases 

This case was reopened following recommendations from a Special Investigation Team (SIT) established by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2015 to reinvestigate the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases. After the SIT's recommendations, the complainant, Jaswant's wife, recorded her statement on November 23, 2016, leading to Kumar's arrest on April 6, 2021, while he was already serving time in Tihar Jail.

The conviction represents the second successful prosecution based on the SIT's work. In 2018, one accused received the death penalty and another life imprisonment for the murder of three persons in Mahipalpur area during the riots.

Kumar still faces legal proceedings in multiple other cases. His appeal against his previous conviction is pending in the Supreme Court, while a fourth case against him related to culpable homicide in Delhi's Janakpuri area during the riots is currently before the courts. The 1984 anti-Sikh riots that erupted following Indira Gandhi's assassination claimed approximately 3,000 lives, with the majority of victims being Sikhs.