World
India
A Delhi court has postponed its verdict in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots murder case against former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja, who was scheduled to deliver the judgment on Friday, deferred the pronouncement to February 12.
The case pertains to the killing of Jaswant Singh and his son, Tarundeep Singh, in Saraswati Vihar during the riots that followed the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Kumar, currently lodged in Tihar Jail, appeared before the court via video conference.
The court had earlier reserved its judgment after hearing final arguments on the deaths of the two victims, who were attacked on November 1, 1984. Initially registered at the Punjabi Bagh police station, the case was later transferred to a special investigation team (SIT) for further probe.
On December 16, 2021, the court framed charges against Kumar, stating there was a prima facie case against him. The prosecution alleged that a violent mob, armed with deadly weapons, engaged in large-scale looting, arson, and destruction of property, targeting Sikhs in retaliation for Gandhi’s assassination.
As per the charges, the mob attacked the house of the complainant, Jaswant Singh’s wife, killing her husband and son, plundering their belongings, and setting their home ablaze. The court noted that evidence suggested Kumar was not just part of the attack but played a leading role in orchestrating the violence.
With the verdict now set for February 12, all eyes remain on the court’s decision in this long-standing case linked to one of the darkest chapters in India’s history.
