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3mo ago

Sajjan Kumar Sentenced to Life for 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots

A Delhi court rejected calls for the death penalty, citing mitigating factors, in convicting the former Congress MP for leading a mob that killed two Sikh men.

In this December 2018 file photo, Congress leader Sajjan Kumar is seen outside the Patiala House Court of New Delhi.
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While victims, kin of slain persons and members of the community welcomed the life-term in jail awarded to Sajjan Kumar in a murder case related to 1984 anti-Sikh riots on Tuesday, they advocated capital punishment for the former legislator.

Overview

  • Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment for orchestrating the murder of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi.
  • The court ruled out the death penalty, considering Kumar’s age, health issues, and reported good conduct in prison, despite calls from the prosecution and victims' families for harsher punishment.
  • Kumar is already serving a life sentence for his 2018 conviction in a separate case involving the killing of five Sikhs and the burning of a gurdwara during the same riots.
  • The Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed in 2015, played a key role in reopening and prosecuting this case after decades of alleged political interference and inaction.
  • The 1984 anti-Sikh riots, triggered by the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, resulted in thousands of deaths, with many cases still pending resolution in courts.