1984 anti-Sikh riots: Ex-Congress leader Sajjan Kumar gets lifer

The court on February 12 convicted Kumar for the offence and sought a report from Tihar Central Jail on his psychiatric and psychological evaluation in view of a Supreme Court order asking for such a report in cases attracting capital punishment

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday awarded life imprisonment to former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a murder case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Special judge Kaveri Baweja pronounced the judgement for the alleged killing of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh on November 1, 1984.

The complainant, wife of Jaswant, and the prosecution had sought death penalty for Kumar.

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The offence of murder carried a maximum punishment of death penalty, while the minimum sentence was life imprisonment.

The court on February 12 convicted Kumar for the offence and sought a report from Tihar Central Jail on his psychiatric and psychological evaluation in view of a Supreme Court order asking for such a report in cases attracting capital punishment.

Kumar is currently lodged in Tihar jail.

Though Punjabi Bagh Police Station registered the case, a special investigation team took over the investigation much later.

The prosecution alleged a huge mob, armed with deadly weapons, resorted to large-scale looting, arson and destruction of properties of Sikhs to avenge the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The mob attacked the house of the complainant, wife of Jaswant, killing the men aside from looting articles and setting their house ablaze, the prosecution claimed.