The district Judge J.R. Aryan has convicted the other five accused in the case related to the killing of five people in Delhi Cantonment area following the assassination of Indira Gandhi on Oct 31, 1984.
Sajjan Kumar gets acquitted
Congress leader Sajjan Kumar has been acquitted in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case by a Delhi Court.
Five others have been convicted for offences under section 302 (murder) of IPC entailing death penalty as maximum punishment.
Kishan Khokkar and Mahender Yadav have been convicted of rioting.
While Captain Bhagmal, Balwan Khokkar and Giridhari Lal have been convicted of murder.
The district Judge J.R. Aryan has convicted the other five accused in the case related to the killing of five people in Delhi Cantonment area following the assassination of Indira Gandhi on Oct 31, 1984.
One of the protestors hurled a shoe at the judge after he acquitted Sajjan Kumar. All India Sikhs Students Federation President Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad hurled a shoe at the judge inside the courtroom. Karnail Singh was later arrested.
Karnail Singh’s lawyer said that he hurled the shoe not with the intention to hit the judge, but to express his anger against the judiciary.”Karnail Singh is ready to face the consequences of his action,” he added.
The order led to furore amongst members of the Sikh community who wanted Sajjan Kumar to be brought to justice. Slogans against the Congress were heard and some people tried to climb over barricades and storm the complex.
“Congress is a party of murderers, Though we respect the court, we are sad about this judgment. We never thought he would be acquitted,” an angry Sikh said.
Sajjan Kumar was facing trial along with Balwan Khokkar, Mahender Yadav, Girdhari Lal, Kishan Khokkar and Captain Bhagmal for allegedly conspiring and inciting a mob against the Sikh community.
Timeline of the events in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case
Following is the chronology of events in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, in which a city court today directed the CBI to reopen the investigation against senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler.
* Nov 1, 1984: Three persons Badal Singh, Gurucharan Singh and Thakur Singh are killed near Gurudwara Pulbangash in north Delhi in the riots that followed the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi a day before.
* Feb 8, 2005: Justice G T Nanavati Commission, appointed to look into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, submits its report.
* Aug 8, 2005: Nanavati Commission report is tabled in Parliament.
* Aug 10, 2005: Following a two day-long debate, the Prime Minister makes a statement expressing the government’s decision to register FIR in the matter.
* Nov, 2005: CBI registers case against Tytler.
* Oct 28, 2007: CBI files closure report in a Delhi court giving clean chit to Tytler.
* Dec 18, 2007: Court rejects CBI’s probe report, directs further investigation.
* Dec, 2008: CBI goes to the United States to record statement of witness Jasbir Singh who was earlier declared as not traceable by it.
* Apr 2, 2009: CBI again files a closure report against Tytler.
* Jun, 2009: Witness Surinder Singh dies.
* Apr 27, 2010: Court reserves its order on CBI’s closure report.
* Apr 27, 2010: Court accepts closure report against Tytler.
* July 2010: Riot victim appeal against the CBI closure report and seek further probe.
* Apr 4, 2013: Court concludes hearing of arguments. Reserves its order on victims’ plea for further probe.
* Apr 10, 2013: Court orders reopening of case against Tytler while setting aside a CBI closure report giving him a clean chit.
Also directs CBI to examine eye-witnesses and people claiming to have information about the riots.
News Source: DNA India
