A Delhi court on Tuesday (February 25, 2025) sentenced former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar to life imprisonment in a murder case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja pronounced the verdict in connection with the brutal killing of Jaswant Singh and his son, Tarundeep Singh, on November 1, 1984.
Sajjan Kumar, who is already serving a life term in another 1984 riots case, was convicted on February 12 for his role in the killings and other acts of violence. Following his conviction, the court had sought a psychiatric and psychological evaluation report from Tihar Central Jail, in accordance with a Supreme Court directive for cases that may warrant capital punishment.
It is the prosecution’s case that Sajjan Kumar was at the forefront of instigating and encouraging the mob that attacked the victims’ home in Raj Nagar, Delhi. The prosecution convinced the court that the violent mob was incited by Sajjan Kumar, set the house ablaze with kerosene and looted valuables, and subjected the residents to brutal physical assaults. The victims, Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh, were dragged from their home at gunpoint and burned alive on a nearby vacant location. Other relatives of theirs were also badly brutally, but they survived.
The case was initially registered at Punjabi Bagh police station but was later transferred to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for further investigation. The prosecution noted that Kumar’s offence was premeditated and against a whole community, and therefore the harshest punishment was warranted.
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Besides life imprisonment, Sajjan Kumar has also been sentenced under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including two years’ imprisonment under Section 147 for rioting, three years and a fine under Section 148 for rioting with lethal weapons, and seven years under Section 308 for attempting culpable homicide.
The anti-Sikh riots in 1984 broke out after then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. There were thousands of Sikh fatalities from the riots, and a number of Congress politicians, including Sajjan Kumar, have been accused of participating in rioting mobs to target the community. The conviction comes in continuation efforts to punish organizers of the riots more than forty years ago.
While the court handed down a life sentence, the prosecution had sought the death penalty for Sajjan Kumar. In its written submission, the prosecution argued that the case was graver than the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, as it involved targeted killings of an entire community.
“The present case falls under the category of ‘rarest of rare’ crimes. The killings were brutal, and the acts of violence shook the collective conscience of society,” the prosecution contended.
Sikh community leaders have expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict, calling for the death penalty instead.
“We will not accept anything less than capital punishment. This is a case of genocide, and the perpetrators must be given the strictest punishment,” Sikh leader Gurlad Singh said.
The conviction of Sajjan Kumar is seen as a significant step toward delivering justice to the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. However, with demands for stricter punishment, the legal battle over Kumar’s fate is expected to continue.
