'Eyewitness' statement trustworthy in 1984 riots'

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday told a Delhi court that a complainant in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and five others are facing trial is an eyewitness to the killings and her statement is trustworthy.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday told a Delhi court that a complainant in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and five others are facing trial is an eyewitness to the killings and her statement is trustworthy.

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Advancing final arguments before district judge JR Aryan, senior advocate RS Cheema, appearing for the CBI, said complainant Jagdish Kaur had "seen the killings in front of her and she has neither changed her stand nor tried to exaggerate the facts in the court."

Jagdish had lost her husband, a young son and three brothers during the riots.

"She saw her husband and son being killed by the mob in front of her eyes and she also lost her three brothers during the riots. She is a person of extraordinary courage and memory who is doing everything to get justice. She is a witness of truth and has not changed her stand," the counsel submitted.

Cheema said Jagdish had not attempted to name in her affidavits the persons whom she had not seen during the riots.

Sajjan is facing trial along with five others Balwan Khokkar, Kishan Khokkar, Mahender Yadav, Girdhari Lal and Captain Bhagmal for allegedly inciting a mob against the Sikhs in the Delhi Cantonment area.

The case relates to riots that had broken out after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

Advocate Anil Sharma, counsel for the accused, had earlier contended that there were several contradictions in the statements of the witnesses. The counsel had also questioned Jagdish's "conduct".

Meanwhile, Jagdish and another witness, Nirpreet Kaur, moved an application in the court, seeking permission to bring two news articles of 1984 about Sajjan. They have also sought the court's permission to summon editors of the two English dailies.