NEW DELHI– Former Congress Member of Parliament Sajjan Kumar on Monday pleaded not guilty in connection with multiple killings during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, asserting that the charges against him are false and politically motivated.
Testifying before Special Judge Digvijay Singh at Rouse Avenue Courts, the 77-year-old Kumar denied involvement in the alleged murders of Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh in Delhi’s Janakpuri, as well as the death of Gurcharan Singh, who was reportedly set on fire in Vikaspuri.
“I am innocent. I was never involved in this crime, not even in my dreams. There is no iota of evidence against me,” Kumar stated during his deposition.
He emphasized that his name had not been mentioned by any witnesses initially and was only brought up years later.
“The case against me is false and politically-motivated,” he reiterated.
The 1984 anti-Sikh riots erupted following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. The violence led to widespread killings, particularly targeting the Sikh community.
Years later, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was established based on recommendations from the Justice G.P. Mathur Committee to reopen 114 riot-related cases.
In August 2023, a trial court formally framed charges against Kumar under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), though it dropped the murder charge under Section 302 that had initially been applied by the SIT.
However, in a separate case, Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment in February this year for the murders of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in Delhi’s Saraswati Vihar area on November 1, 1984.
The SIT found that Kumar had led a violent mob and incited them to burn the victims alive. The mob also looted and destroyed the victims’ property and inflicted serious injuries on their relatives.
Describing the 1984 riots as one of the “darkest and most shameful” chapters in Indian history, members of the Sikh community have continued to demand justice and are urging the court to impose the death penalty on Sajjan Kumar. (Source: IANS)
