The Supreme Court agreed to hear Sajjan Kumar’s appeal against his conviction in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case and scheduled it for July 2026. His counsel highlighted over 7 years in jail and personal hardships, urging an early hearing.
The Supreme Court of India on Friday agreed to hear an appeal filed by Sajjan Kumar, who has challenged his conviction in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case by the Delhi High Court. The High Court had earlier reversed his acquittal by a trial court and held him guilty.
A Bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Atul S. Chandurkar took note of the request for an early hearing and indicated that the case would be listed in the last week of July 2026. The matter was mentioned for urgent listing by Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing on behalf of Kumar.
During the hearing, the senior counsel emphasized that Kumar has already spent a significant period in jail following his conviction by the High Court. He submitted,
“The gentleman has been inside for seven years and four months,”
pointing out that Kumar’s conviction came only at the appellate stage, after he had been acquitted by the trial court earlier.
Initially, the Bench suggested that the matter could be taken up in August. However, after further submissions by the defence, the Court agreed to advance the hearing to July.
The counsel also highlighted Kumar’s personal situation, especially the poor health of his wife. He informed the Court that she is unable to move due to her condition and that Kumar has not been able to meet her even once during his imprisonment. Stressing this aspect, he added,
“He has never sought parole, he has never sought any kind of remedy,”
while requesting the Court to consider these circumstances.
In response, the Bench observed that proper medical care would be provided wherever required. The counsel clarified that the concern was not about Kumar’s health, but about his wife’s condition. He further mentioned that Kumar had earlier been taken to Safdarjung Hospital for treatment.
Taking all submissions into account, the Court directed that the appeal be listed for hearing in July 2026.
The appeal challenges the 2013 judgment of the Delhi High Court, which overturned Kumar’s acquittal and convicted him in one of the major cases arising out of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. These riots remain one of the most serious and long-pending chapters in India’s criminal justice history.
Earlier, in September 2025, the Court had asked for a detailed compilation explaining the reasons behind reversing Kumar’s acquittal.
The present case relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar Part I, Palam Colony in South West Delhi on November 1 and 2, 1984, along with the burning of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part II. In 2010, six accused persons, including Sajjan Kumar, who was then a Member of Parliament, were put on trial.
In 2013, the trial court convicted five of the accused—three for offences including armed rioting and murder, and two for armed rioting. However, Sajjan Kumar was acquitted of all charges at that stage.
Later, the Delhi High Court set aside his acquittal and convicted him under multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code. These included criminal conspiracy under Section 120B read with Sections 302, 436, 295, and 153A (1)(a) and (b), abetment under Section 109 IPC, and delivering speeches that allegedly incited violence against Sikhs under Section 153A.
The High Court held Kumar guilty of conspiracy and abetment in serious offences such as murder, promoting enmity between religious groups, disturbing communal harmony, and destruction of a Gurudwara.
In a separate but related development, in February 2025, the Rouse Avenue Court sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment in another 1984 riots case. This case involved the killing of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in Delhi’s Saraswati Vihar, where they were allegedly burned alive.
According to the prosecution, Kumar was part of an unlawful assembly that used force and deadly weapons, leading to the killings. Additional Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat argued that the case fell under the “rarest of rare” category, warranting the death penalty under Section 302 read with Section 149 IPC.
The case is titled Sajjan Kumar v. State through Central Bureau of Investigation, and it continues to be closely watched as part of ongoing judicial scrutiny into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Delhi Riots case
