A Delhi court acquitted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a case linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the Janakpuri and Vikaspuri areas. The detailed order is awaited, while Kumar remains imprisoned in other riot-related convictions.
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NEW DELHI: A Delhi court acquitted former Congress Member of Parliament Sajjan Kumar in a case related to allegedly inciting violence during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the Janakpuri and Vikaspuri areas of the national capital.
Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh orally pronounced a brief order acquitting Kumar. The court has not issued a reasoned order yet.
ALSO READ: 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Case: Court Reserves Order Against Sajjan Kumar; Verdict on Jan 22
Background of the Case
In August 2023, the trial court framed charges against Sajjan Kumar for rioting and promoting enmity between communities, while discharging him of more serious allegations of murder and criminal conspiracy.
The case arose from two First Information Reports (FIRs) registered in February 2015 by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing incidents from the 1984 riots.
The first FIR pertains to violence in Janakpuri on November 1, 1984, where two Sikh men, Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh, were brutally killed. The complaint alleged that mobs targeted Sikh residents, leading to loss of life and property.
The second FIR relates to an incident in Vikaspuri on November 2, 1984, where Gurcharan Singh was allegedly set on fire by a mob during the riots. The incident is among several cases reopened decades later to ensure accountability for the mass violence.
Despite the present acquittal, Sajjan Kumar continues to remain in jail. On February 25, 2025, a Delhi trial court sentenced him to life imprisonment in connection with the killing of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh during the riots in the Saraswati Vihar area.
ALSO READ: 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots || Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
The court, however, declined to impose the death penalty, observing that although the murder of “two innocent persons” was grave, the case did not fall under the “rarest of rare” category.
The trial court also noted that the Saraswati Vihar incident was part of the same chain of events for which Sajjan Kumar had earlier been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court on December 17, 2018.
In that landmark judgment, the High Court found Kumar guilty of causing the death of five people in the Palam Colony area following the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Kumar’s appeal against the 2018 conviction is currently pending before the Supreme Court of India.
Findings of the Nanavati Commission
According to the Nanavati Commission Report, which investigated the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and their aftermath:
- 587 FIRs were registered in Delhi
- 2,733 people were killed
- Around 240 FIRs were closed as “untraced”
- Nearly 250 cases resulted in acquittals
- Only 28 FIRs led to convictions
- About 400 people were convicted, including nearly 50 for murder
Earlier, on 22 December 2025, a Delhi court had reserved its order in the case after hearing final arguments. Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh, who was presiding over the matter, fixed January 22 for the pronouncement of the verdict. Sajjan Kumar was produced before the court amid tight security, underscoring the sensitivity of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Anti-Sikh Riots