Court Clears Sajjan Kumar: Witnesses Fail to Accuse Him for Decades

A Delhi court acquitted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, citing the absence of his name in witness accounts for over three decades. Despite the prosecution’s claims of witness intimidation due to Kumar's political power, the judge found no valid reason for the delay.

In a significant legal decision, a Delhi court on Thursday acquitted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar of inciting violence charges during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Janakpuri. The decision was based on a crucial point raised by Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh, noting the absence of Kumar's name in witness accounts for more than thirty years.

The complainant, Harvinder Singh, who tragically passed away before he could testify in the present case, had not named Kumar in his 1991 affidavit and statement, which ultimately did not support the prosecution's arguments. The prosecution claimed the delay resulted from Kumar's influence as a powerful Congress party figure, leaving witnesses in fear of coming forward.

However, the judge rejected this reasoning, noting that Kumar's earlier arrest was widely publicized, removing the fear factor. The judge criticized the reliability of prosecution witnesses, emphasizing no credible explanation existed for not naming Kumar, a known politician, despite extensive investigation and documentation over the decades.

(With inputs from agencies.)