1984 anti-Sikh riots: Delhi court acquits Sajjan Kumar

Amid tight security a Delhi court today acquitted Congress leader Sajjan Kumar of rioting and murder during the 1984 anti-Sikh communal riots in the Capital in the aftermath of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination. The five other accused have been convicted of charges including rioting and murder. Full details of the verdict are not yet available. The verdict left senior Supreme Court advocate HS Phoolka, who has been fighting a tireless battle on behalf of the victims, completely stunned. He left without speaking to the media. [caption id=“attachment_741239” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  AFP[/caption] The former Congress MP and five others had been accused in the riots case in which five people were murdered in the Delhi Cantonment area on 1-2 November, 1984. Much drama preceded the announcement of the verdict. The verdict was announced after a one hour delay, because all those present inside the courtroom were asked to leave for a thorough security check of the premises. Soon after, police personnel were deployed to guard all approaches to the courtroom. Rope barricades were also put up. Kumar arrived in the courtroom at around 1.45 pm heavily guarded by police. The five accused were summoned into the courtroom at around 2.50 pm. There was much jostling and commotion outside the courtroom after reporters were not allowed inside. The reporters were let in only after the verdict was delivered. The five who have been convicted in the case are Balwan Khokkar, a former counselor, Mahender Yadav, former MLA, Capt. Bagmal, Girdhari Lal and Krishan Khokkar. A shocked Nirpreet Kaur, an eyewitness in the case who was present in the courtroom said, “Sajjan Kumar has been aquitted.” Speaking to Firspost on Monday (29 April) Kaur, had said “My father was burnt alive in front of my eyes. And I saw Sajjan Kumar on the morning of 2 November addressing the public from a car. I am hopeful that this verdict will bring me some satisfaction. But it would have been more meaningful if it had come twenty years ago." She was 16 when the riots broke out. She now runs an NGO for riot victims. Protests erupted outside the court complex after the verdict was announced and some protestors have entered the premises. “This is unfortunate. All fair minded people should condemn this decision. We can only hope God will punish him”, said one protestor to the media. Four companies of Delhi police have been deployed in and around the court complex located. In 2010, the CBI filed two chargesheets against Kumar and others in the anti-Sikh riots cases that were registered in 2005. The registration of cases followed the recommendation of the Justice G T Nanavati Commission, which was appointed to inquire into the sequence of the events that led to the ant-Sikh riots. Earlier this month, a trial court rejected the closure report by the CBI in a riots case involving another controversial Congress leader Jagdish Tytler. The court directed the CBI to re-investigate the case. Nearly 3000 Sikhs were killed in Delhi during the 1984 riots.