E-Paper
1984 anti-Sikh riots: Sajjan Kumar acquitted in Sultanpuri murder case
A Delhi court Wednesday acquitted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a case related to the killing of a person during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, giving him the “benefit of doubt”
New Delhi : A Delhi court Wednesday acquitted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a case related to the killing of a person during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, giving him the “benefit of doubt”.
Special judge Geetanjli Goel also acquitted two other accused -- Ved Prakash Pial and Brahmanand Gupta -- holding that the prosecution failed to prove the case of murder and rioting against them. A Sikh man, Surjit Singh, was killed during the incident in Sultanpuri.
“The accused Sajjan Kumar is given benefit of doubt and acquitted for the offence” the judge said.
Kumar was accused of various offences punishable under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race etc. (Section 153A), abetment of any offence (Section 109), murder (Section 302) and rioting (147).
The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.
Kumar is currently lodged in Tihar jail after conviction in another case related to the riots.
Painful, says SAD chief Sukhbir
Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday said the acquittal of Sajjan Kumar in a murder case was a black day for minorities and secularism and a blot on justice, human rights and rule of law in the country.
Describing the acquittal of Congress leader painful, the SAD president said: “This has hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community which is still waiting for final closure to wounds afflicted by the Congress and its henchmen who are still evading justice on one pretext or another. The acquittal amounts to sprinkling salt on the wounds of the community,” he added.
Reacting to the acquital, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said the Sikhs are losing faith in country’s judicial system. In a statement, Dhami said: “Acquittal of Sajjan Kumar who is already serving life sentence in another case of the massacre, in Sultanpuri murder case is very painful . This is a testimony to the failure of governments and lackadaisical prosecution in punishing the 1984 riots accused when credible evidence and witnesses are present”.
