Ex-Delhi cop claims none died in 1984 anti-Sikh riot

A former Delhi police constable, deposing as a defence witness in a 1984 anti-Sikh riot case involving former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, Thursday told a Delhi court he was on duty during those tumultuous days and he did not come across any report of any killing or rioting.

Sajjan Kumar, along with five others, is facing trial for allegedly instigating a mob which killed six persons in Delhi Cantonment area during the riots in the wake of the assassination of erstwhile Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

75-year-old Chajju Ram, while deposing in defence of Kumar before Additional Sessions Judge Sunita Gupta said that during October 31, 1984, and November 6, 1984, it never came to his notice that "any Sikh in the (Raj Nagar-II) locality was killed or Sikhs' houses were looted and ransacked."

"It never came to my notice that any dead body was found on the road," said Chajju Ram, claiming "he had been on duty for all the five days without a break and a wink."

Maintaining he was posted at Palam police post during those days, Chajju Ram said he did not notice any burnt house, dead bodies or ransacked houses in the area during his patrolling.

Countering Chajju Ram's deposition, riot victims' counsel HS Phoolka said according to GT Nanavati Commission report, the official casualty figures shows during the riots 341 persons were killed, while 385 houses, 110 shops and 45 vehicles were burnt in the area.

Chajju Ram said Sajjan Kumar did not come to the police post in his presence on November 2, 1984, and added he remained on one or the other duty continuously from October 31, 1984, to November 4, 1984, and had not slept as there was shortage of staff.

He said there was no park near Palam police post in Delhi Cantonment area where Sajjan Kumar allegedly addressed the mob and instigated it against Sikhs.

He said neither was there any park near the Palam police post nor was there a jeep from which the former Outer Delhi MP had allegedly given a speech to the mob, in the police post.

"There was no jeep nor any other vehicle in the police post other than the motorcycle. There was no park in front or near the (Palam) police post."

"On the morning of November 2, 1984, no crowd collected outside the police post nor any gathering was addressed by Sajjan Kumar," Chhaju Ram said.

Kumar is facing trial along with Balwan Khokkar, Kishan Khokkar, Mahender Yadav, Girdhari Lal and Captain Bhagmal on the charge of inciting mobs against the Sikh community and having six of them killed in Delhi Cantonment area during the riots.

The case against Kumar was registered in 2005 on a recommendation by Justice GT Nanavati Commission. CBI filed two charge sheets against him and others in January last year.

The trial court had in May, 2010, framed charges against Kumar and five others under Sections 302 (murder), 395 (dacoity), 427 (mischief to cause damage to property), 153A (promoting enmity between different communities) and other provisions of IPC.