New Delhi [India], January 31: The Rouse Avenue Court has reserved its verdict in a case against former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, concerning the killing of a father-son duo in Saraswati Vihar on November 1, 1984, during the Anti-Sikh riots.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja reserved the order after hearing additional submissions from Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat. The court is scheduled to deliver its judgment on February 7.
On January 21, the court had postponed its judgment in the case, allowing Rawat to present further arguments regarding the evidence collected during the investigation. This case involves the killings of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in the Saraswati Vihar area.
Defense lawyer Anil Sharma argued that Sajjan Kumar was not initially named in the case and highlighted a 16-year delay in identifying him as the perpetrator. Sharma also pointed out that Kumar’s conviction in a separate case was pending appeal before the Supreme Court. He emphasized that international law should not be applied in this context, and the law of the land should take precedence.
In rebuttal, Additional Public Prosecutor Rawat stated that the victim, once aware of Sajjan Kumar’s identity, had named him in her statement. Senior advocate HS Phoolka, representing the victims, argued that the police investigation had been manipulated to protect the accused, and that the 1984 riots constituted a larger, systematic attack against Sikhs, calling it a “genocide.”
Phoolka referred to a Delhi High Court ruling, which categorized the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as a “crime against humanity.” He also argued that delays in the investigation and lack of proper action by the authorities allowed the accused to evade justice for years.
The court previously recorded Sajjan Kumar’s statement on November 1, 2023, where he denied all charges. Initially investigated by the Punjabi Bagh police, the case was later taken over by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which filed a charge sheet after the G.P. Mathur Committee’s recommendation to reopen 114 cases.
In December 2021, charges were framed against Kumar under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including murder and arson. The SIT claims that Kumar led the mob that killed the two victims, looted their property, and destroyed their home. Witnesses have testified that the accused instigated the violence, and new material evidence emerged during further investigation, including statements from victims who survived the attacks.
The case continues to unfold as the court prepares to pronounce its verdict next month.