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Synopsis

A Delhi Court on Wednesday acquitted former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a case related to killing of a person during 1984 anti-Sikh riots, giving him the “benefit of doubt”.

Kumar is currently lodged in the Tihar Jail after conviction in another case related to the 1984 riots.

Special Judge Geetanjali Goel of Rouse Avenue Court also acquitted two other accused in the case namely, Ved Prakash Rai and Brahmanand Gupta.

The case pertains to the killing of a man, Surjit Singh, during the incident in Sultanpuri. The riots had broken out after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.

“Accused Sajjan Kumar is given benefit of doubt and acquitted for the offences under Section 109 IPC read with Sections 147, 148, 149, 153A, 295, 302, 436 IPC and also for the offence under Section 153A IPC. The accused Ved Prakash Pial @ Veedu Pradhan and Brahmanand Gupta @ Gupta Telwala are acquitted for the offences under Section 109 read with Sections 147, 148, 149, 153A, 295, 302 and 436 IPC and also for the substantive offences under Sections 147, 148, 149 IPC and under Section 436 read with Section 149 IPC; Section 295 read with Section 149 IPC and Section 302 read with Section 149 IPC”, the judge ordered.

In related news, on August 23, Special Judge M K Nagpal, framed charges against the former MP calling him the "principal abettor" in a case related to the burning of a Gurudwara during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. 

The judge had said, “This court is of prima facie view that oral and documentary evidence placed on record by the prosecution was sufficient to hold that an unlawful assembly or mob consisting of hundreds of people armed with dandas, iron rods, bricks and stones etc. had gathered near the Gurudwara in Gulab Bagh in the national capital's Nawada area on November 1, 1984 at around 11 am”.

“Accused Sajjan Kumar was also a part of the said mob and common object of the said mob was to put the above said Gurudwara on fire and to burn and loot the articles lying therein and also to burn and destroy the houses of Sikhs situated in the said locality, to damage, destroy or loot their articles or property and to kill the Sikhs residing in that locality, in order to avenge killing of the then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi,” the special judge had said.

The court had ordered framing of charges in relation to the Janakpuri case pertaining to the killing of two Sikhs, Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh, on November 1, 1984. A second case was registered in Vikaspuri police station related to the burning of Gurcharan Singh on November 2, 1984.

Case Title: CBI v. Sajjan Kumar & Ors.