1984 riots convict Sajjan Kumar surrenders before Karkardooma court in Delhi; former Congress MP to serve life term in Tihar Jail

Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, convicted in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, surrendered before the Karkardooma court on Monday. The 73-year-old was awarded a life sentence by the Delhi High Court and a fine of Rs 5 lakh on 17 December. He will be lodged in the Tihar Jail in Delhi.

Two other convicted in the case — Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokhar — surrendered before the court earlier on Monday. They were sentenced to 10 years in prison.

This case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, in the aftermath of the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on 31 October, 1984, pertains to the murder of five members of a Sikh family in the Delhi Cantonment area.

HS Phoolka, one of the petitioners in 1984 anti-Sikh riot case, has appealed to the victims of the riots to not go to the court on Monday. “It is apprehended that Sajjan Kumar might try to create disturbances around the court tomorrow to use as an excuse not to surrender and ask for an extension. I request 1984 Sikh genocide victims not to go to the court tomorrow. He has not got any relief from the Supreme Court. So he has to surrender,” Phoolka said in a statement.

He pointed out that if Kumar does not surrender, “the police will have to take him into custody and send him to Tihar Jail”. “This is a very big victory for the entire nation as a mass murderer is going to be punished after years,” he added.

The case against Kumar pertains to the murder of five members of a Sikh family in the Delhi Cantonment area during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the aftermath of the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on 31 October, 1984.

The court, which had asked the former MP to surrender before 31 December, made stinging observations over the investigations and said there “appeared to be ongoing large-scale efforts to suppress cases against him”.

With inputs from agencies