1984 anti-Sikh riots case: Prosecution seeks death penalty for former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar

1984 anti-Sikh riots case: The prosecution has sought the Death penalty for former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, ANI reported. He was convicted in a case of killing a father-son duo in November 1984 in the Saraswati Vihar area. The court has listed the matter for hearing arguments on sentence on February 21.

The public prosecutor is to file his written submissions. He is pressing for the Death penalty in the guidelines in Nirbhaya and other cases.

Sajjan Kumar is already serving a life sentence in another 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in Delhi Cantonment.

On February 12, a Delhi court convicted Sajjan Kumar in connection with the murder of two individuals during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Saraswati Vihar. The victims, Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh, were killed on 1 November 1984.

The court has convicted Sajjan Kumar for offences punishable under Sections 147 (rioting) 148 (Rioting with deadly weapon), 149 (Unlawful assembly), Sections 302 (Murder), 308 (attempt to commit Culpable Homicide), 323 (causing hurt), 395 (dacoity), 397(robbery or dacoity with the intent to cause death or grievous hurt), 427 (mischief by fire), 436 (damage of property by fire), 440 (mischief committed after making preparations to cause death, hurt, or fear), read with Section 149 IPC.

While deciding the case, the court relied on the statement of the widow (complainant) of Jaswant Singh, her daughter, and her niece. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigated this case. This SIT was constituted in 2015 after an order passed by the Supreme Court.

Although the Punjabi Bagh police initially registered the case, a special investigation team later took over.

On December 16, 2021, the court framed charges against Sajjan Kumar, finding a "prima facie" case against him. The prosecution stated that a violent mob, armed with deadly weapons, engaged in widespread looting, arson, and destruction of Sikh properties in retaliation for the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The 1984 anti-Sikh riots led to the deaths of 2,700 Sikhs in Delhi.

-With agency inputs