Sajjan Kumar Receives Life Sentence for 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Murder Case

A Delhi court has sentenced former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar to life imprisonment for his role in the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots case involving the murder of a father-son duo. The court upheld his conviction for murder, destruction of property, and instigating violence during the riots.

In a landmark judgment, a Delhi court has handed down a life sentence to former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, convicting him of murder and inciting violence during the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots. The verdict, delivered on Tuesday, holds Kumar accountable for the deaths of a father and son in the Saraswati Vihar locality.

The special judge, Kaveri Baweja, underscored the severity of the charges, sentencing Kumar for offenses including murder under Section 302 in conjunction with unlawful assembly, and property destruction under Section 436, both read with Section 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The decision follows his February 12 conviction on similar charges.

The case, related to the brutal events that unfolded post-Indira Gandhi's assassination, saw prosecutors pressing for the death penalty, labeling it one of the rarest of rare cases. Despite appeals and legal arguments citing delays and procedural lapses, the court maintained the life sentence, emphasizing accountability for the tragic killings.