Delhi HC dismisses Sajjan Kumar's plea in anti-Sikh riots case

The Delhi high court today dismissed senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar's petition challenging a trial court's order to frame charges against him in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

Former Outer Delhi MP Sajjan Kumar is facing prosecution in two cases in which he has been accused of inciting a mob against Sikh community in the aftermath of former prime minister Indira Gandhi's assassination on October 31, 1984, leading to killings of several persons.

In the order, justice Vipin Sanghi questioned the motive of Delhi Police for cancelling the FIR against the politician when the matter was still being probed by the CBI.

A trial court had termed the case as "untraced" in July 2008 after the Delhi Police filed a cancellation report stating that the complainant was not traceable.

Rejecting the plea of Kumar, justice Sanghi directed the trial court to hold the proceedings against him expeditiously in the anti-Sikh riots cases.

The trial court had in May this year framed charges under Sections 302 (murder), 395 (dacoity), 427 (mischief to property), 153A (promoting enmity between different communities) and other provisions of the IPC paving the way for trial of Kumar and five others.

CBI had accused Kumar of provoking people against members of a particular community during the carnage that led to the killing of five persons in Delhi Cantonment area.

Besides Kumar, other accused in the case are Balwan Khokhar, Krishan Khokhar, Mahender Yadav, Captain Bhagmal and Girdhari Lal.

CBI had filed two chargesheets against Kumar and others on January 13 in the riots cases registered in 2005 on the recommendation of Justice G T Nanavati Commission which inquired into the sequence of events leading to the riots.

The trial court had on July seven framed charges against the politician in another case in connection with the anti-Sikh riots.