SC ruling on Sajjan’s plea today

The Supreme Court will, on Monday, pronounce its verdict on a petition filed by senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar challenging the criminal proceedings against him in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases.

The Supreme Court will, on Monday, pronounce its verdict on a petition filed by senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar challenging the criminal proceedings against him in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases.

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A Bench, comprising Justice P. Sathasivam and Justice A.R.Dave, had reserved its judgement on September 13 on Kumar’s appeal against the Delhi High Court decision that refused to stay the trial against Kumar.

The high court had, on July 19, refused to quash the various charges, including murder, against Kumar saying the delay in prosecution has apparently benefited him.

The apex court had stayed on August 13 the trial proceedings against Kumar for two weeks.

The Congress leader has now contended that the observations made by the High Court could have a bearing on the trial. In a special leave petition, Kumar argued that the complainants’ testimony against him were unreliable.

The CBI had defended its decision to re-investigate the case against Kumar for his alleged involvement in the riots, saying it was a decision taken by Parliament. Kumar, a former Outer Delhi MP, is facing prosecution in two cases in which he was accused of inciting a mob against Sikh community in the aftermath of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination on October 31, 1984.

CBI had accused Kumar of provoking people against members of Sikh community during the carnage that led to the killing of five persons in Delhi Cantonment area.

CBI had filed two chargesheets against Kumar and others on January 13 in the riots cases registered in 2005 on the recommendation of Justice G.T. Nanavati Commi-ssion which inquired into the sequence of events leading to the riots.