NEW DELHI: A Delhi court is likely to deliver its verdict on January 8 in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case involving former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar. The case pertains to the murdersof Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in the Saraswati Vihar area on November 1, 1984, a day after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court, who was initially expected to deliver the judgment on Monday, postponed the decision, stating, “The next date for the verdict is January 8.”
Kumar, who is currently lodged in Tihar jail, appeared for the hearing via video conferencing.
The court had earlier framed charges against Kumar under multiple sections of the IPC including murder (Section 302), rioting (Section 147), dacoity (Section 395), and arson (Section 436), after concluding that there was sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case against the accused.
According to the prosecution, on November 1, 1984, a large mob, armed with weapons, looted and set fire to Sikh homes in the Saraswati Vihar area, including the house of Jaswant Singh. The attack led to the deaths of Jaswant Singh and his son, while their property was destroyed. The case was initially registered at the Punjabi Bagh police station but was later handed over to a special investigation team (SIT) set up to probe the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases.
The court observed that the accused Kumar not only participated in the violence but also allegedly led the mob that carried out the attacks.