While reversing the acquittal of a trial court, The Delhi High Court on Monday convicted Congress Leader and Former MP Sajjan Kumar and sentence him a life imprisonment in connection to 1984 anti-Sikh riots that took place in the capital following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indra Gandhi. He has to surrender by 31st December 2018.
Delhi HC also said that: ‘Sajjan Kumar shall not from this moment till his surrender leave the NCT of Delhi and shall immediately provide to the CBI the address and mobile number(s) where he can be contacted’.
Besides Congress‘ Sajjan Kumar, Captain Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal and former Congress councilor Balwan Khokhar have been sentenced to life imprisonment. Delhi High Court extends the life imprisonment of other two convicts, Kishan Khokkar and former legislator Mahendra Yadav from 3 years to 10 years.
A bench of Justices S Muralidhar and Vinod Goel had on October 29 concluded hearing arguments on the appeals filed by the CBI, riots victims, and the convicts, and reserved the judgment.
Appealing against Kumar’s acquittal, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had alleged that the accused were engaged in “a planned communal riot” and “religious cleansing”.
Following the conviction, Reactions outpoured from every corner.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sajjan Kumar: “Judgement of Delhi High Court is an extremely welcome development. For many of us who are witnesses, it was perhaps the worst kind of genocide that we ever saw. Congress govts in that period repeatedly indulged in coverup exercises” as quoted by ANI.
FM Arun Jaitley on Sajjan Kumar: Judgement of Delhi High Court is an extremely welcome development. For many of us who are witnesses, it was perhaps the worst kind of genocide that we ever saw. Congress govts in that period repeatedly indulged in coverup exercises. pic.twitter.com/FBlrEFtwzI
— ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2018
Senior Advocate HS Phoolka and Manjinder Singh Sirsa celebrated outside Delhi High Court following the judgment.
#WATCH: HS Phoolka and Manjinder Singh Sirsa celebrate outside Delhi High Court. The Court today sentenced Congress leader Sajjan Kumar to life imprisonment in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. pic.twitter.com/tpPSgjvDjO
— ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2018
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Shiromani Akali Dal following the conviction said: ‘ We thank the court for giving us justice. Our fight will continue till Sajjan Kumar & Jagdish Tytler get a death sentence & Gandhi family is dragged to the court & put in jail’.