1984 anti-Sikh riots: Delhi court acquits former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar

A Delhi court Wednesday acquitted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a case related to the killing of a person during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, giving him the “benefit of doubt”.

Special Judge Geetanjli Goel also acquitted two other accused -- Ved Prakash Pial and Brahmanand Gupta -- holding that the prosecution failed to prove the case of murder and rioting against them. A Sikh man Surjit Singh was killed during the incident in Sultanpuri.

“The accused Sajjan Kumar is given the benefit of the doubt and acquitted for the offence” the judge said.

Kumar was accused of various offences punishable under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race etc. (Section 153A), abetment of any offence (Section 109), murder (Section 302) and rioting (147).

The riots had broken out after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.

Kumar is currently lodged in Tihar jail after a conviction in another case related to the riots.