Sufficient evidence to prove Sajjan Kumar role in 1984 riots: CBI

CBI today pleaded before the Delhi high court that it has got sufficient evidence to prove the involvement of senior Congress leader and former MP Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which six persons were killed.

"During investigation by CBI, sufficient material establishing his involvement has come on record. He had instigated the mob, armed with deadly weapons, by making highly provocative speeches," the agency said in its affidavit filed before the court.

It filed its reply in response to Kumar's plea that the criminal proceedings against him should be quashed.

Two cases were registered against the former outer Delhi MP for his alleged involvement in anti-Sikh riots in the aftermath of the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

The apex court had earlier stayed the proceedings against him in one of the cases in which five persons were killed in Delhi Cantonment area.

The trial court had on July 7 framed charges of murder, rioting and spreading enmity between two communities against Kumar and others relating to the killing of six persons in Delhi's Sultanpuri locality.

Justifying the decision of the trial court, CBI, in its reply, pleaded that Kumar's plea for quashing proceedings should be dismissed.

"There are sufficient grounds that the incident was a consequence of the provocative speeches made by Sajjan Kumar and other accused", it said.

The trial court had on July one ordered framing of charges against Kumar and Brahmanand Gupta, Peru, Khushal Singh and Ved Prakash in the case.

CBI had filed two charge sheets against Kumar and others on January 13 in the riots cases registered in 2005 on the recommendation of justice GT Nanavati Commission which had
inquired into the sequence of events leading to the riots.