1984 Anti-Sikh riots: Court orders framing of charges against jailed Cong leader Sajjan Kumar

1984 Anti-Sikh riots: The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi issued an order on Wednesday directing the framing of charges against jailed Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in two cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The Court ordered the framing of charges in the Janakpuri case, which involved the November 1, 1984 death of two Sikhs, Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh. A second case was opened at the Vikaspuri police station in connection with the burning of Gurcharan Singh on November 2, 1984.

The Court directed that charges be filed against Sajjan Kumar under sections of the Indian Penal Code 147 (Punishment for rioting), 148 (Rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (offence is committed by any member of an unlawful assembly in prosecution of the common object of that assembly), 153 (promoting enmity between different groups), 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class), 307 (attempt of murder), 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide), 323 (deals with punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 395 (Punishment for Decoity) and 426 (Punishment for mischief) etc.

However, the court ruled that he be discharged for violations of Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 302 (Punishment for Murder) and 325 (Punishment for Voluntary Causing Grievous hurt).

"This court is of prima facie view that the oral and documentary evidence placed on record by the prosecution is sufficient to hold that an unlawful assembly or mob consisting of hundreds of persons and armed with deadly weapons like dandas, iron rods, bricks and stones etc. had gathered near the Gurudwara situated in Gulab Bagh, Nawada on November 1, 1984," special Judge MK Nagpal said on Wednesday

According to the court, Sajjan Kumar was also a part of the said mob and the common object of the said mob was to put the above-mentioned 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 the killing of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.