On February 12, a Delhi court found Sajjan Kumar guilty of murder in the deaths of Jaswant Singh and his son, Tarundeep Singh, who were killed on November 1, 1984.
New Delhi: The prosecution on Tuesday urged the court to impose the death penalty on former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a murder case linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, describing it as a “rarest of rare” offense.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja was informed of this argument through a written submission filed by the prosecution.
While the minimum sentence for murder is life imprisonment, the judge adjourned the hearing to February 21 after Kumar’s counsel requested additional time, citing lawyers’ abstention from work on Tuesday in protest against the Advocate Amendment Bill, 2025.
Senior advocate H.S. Phoolka, representing the complainant, supported the prosecution’s plea for the death penalty and sought time to present arguments..
The public prosecutor is set to submit his written arguments in court. He is urging the court to impose the death penalty based on the guidelines established in the Nirbhaya case and other similar cases.
Sajjan Kumar is already serving a life sentence in another 1984 anti-Sikh riots case related to killings in Delhi Cantonment.
The Nanavati Commission, established to investigate the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and their aftermath, reported that 587 FIRs were registered in Delhi concerning the violence, which claimed 2,733 lives.
Of these, approximately 240 FIRs were closed by the police as “untraced,” while 250 cases resulted in acquittals.
Only 28 of the 587 cases led to convictions, with around 400 individuals found guilty. Among them, about 50 were convicted for murder, including Sajjan Kumar.
Kumar, a prominent Congress leader and MP at the time, was accused in a case involving the murder of five people in Delhi’s Palam Colony on November 1 and 2, 1984. The Delhi High Court sentenced him to life imprisonment, and his appeal against the verdict is currently pending before the Supreme Court.
On February 12, a Delhi court found Sajjan Kumar guilty of murder in the deaths of Jaswant Singh and his son, Tarundeep Singh, who were killed on November 1, 1984.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja issued the conviction and scheduled sentencing arguments for February 18.
Kumar was brought to court from Tihar Jail for the announcement of the verdict. The case pertains to the killings of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh on November 1, 1984. Initially registered by the Punjabi Bagh police station, the case was later taken over by a special investigation team.
The court convicted Sajjan Kumar under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including:
- Section 147 – Rioting
- Section 148 – Rioting with deadly weapons
- Section 149 – Unlawful assembly
- Section 302 – Murder
- Section 308 – Attempt to commit culpable homicide
- Section 323 – Causing hurt
- Section 395 – Dacoity
- Section 397 – Robbery or dacoity with the intent to cause death or grievous hurt
- Section 427 – Mischief by fire
- Section 436 – Damage to property by fire
- Section 440 – Mischief committed after making preparations to cause death, hurt, or fear
The court relied on statements given by the widow of Jaswant Singh, her daughter, and her niece. The case was investigated by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was formed in 2015 following an order by the Supreme Court.
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Background
Initially, the Punjabi Bagh police registered the case, but later, the SIT took over the investigation. On December 16, 2021, the court framed charges against Sajjan Kumar, stating that there was a “prima facie” case against him.
The prosecution argued that a violent mob armed with weapons engaged in large-scale looting, arson, and destruction of Sikh properties. The violence was in retaliation for the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The 1984 anti-Sikh riots led to the deaths of approximately 2,700 Sikhs in Delhi.
The court will hear arguments regarding the sentencing of Sajjan Kumar on February 21, 2025.
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