1984 anti-Sikh riots: Witnesses move court for livelihood

Witnesses in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case involving senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar on Tuesday approached a Delhi court, seeking a direction to the government to provide them security and means of livelihood so that they can give "uninfluenced and unbiased" testimony.

Witnesses in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case involving senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar on Tuesday approached a Delhi court, seeking a direction to the government to provide them security and means of livelihood so that they can give "uninfluenced and unbiased" testimony.

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The witnesses, who are also the victims, have filed the application in connection with the riots case in which the Delhi High Court had recently refused to quash murder and rioting charges against Kumar and others relating to the killing of six persons in Sultanpuri area.

District judge JR Aryan, who orally asked the CBI to provide security to the witnesses, will pass written orders on the application on Wednesday. The court has fixed August 13 to decide the date to begin recording statements of prosecution witnesses.

Complainant Sheela Kaur, in her plea filed through senior advocate HS Phoolka, said as the court is about to begin recording of statements of witnesses, there will be a threat to their lives and asked the government to spend at least the same amount on witnesses that is being spent on the accused.

"It is in the interest of justice that the government should be directed to provide sufficient security and alternative livelihood to the witnesses and spend at least the same amount on victims who are witnesses equal to the amount being spent by the government on the accused persons," the plea said.

It claimed that Kumar is being given "VVIP treatment and is provided about 40-50 security personnel, government vehicles and accommodation in huge bungalows".

The witnesses sought security so that they can give their statements without any insecurity, threat or fear.