A Delhi court has acquitted former Congress Member of Parliament Sajjan Kumar in a case related to violence in the Janakpuri and Vikaspuri areas of the national capital during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The verdict was delivered by Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh, who had reserved the order in December last year after the conclusion of final arguments in the matter.
The case dates back more than four decades to the days following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, when large-scale violence broke out against members of the Sikh community in several parts of Delhi. In February 2015, a Special Investigation Team registered two separate FIRs against Sajjan Kumar based on complaints alleging his involvement in incidents of violence in west Delhi during the riots.
One of the FIRs was related to an incident in Janakpuri on November 1, 1984, in which Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh were killed by a mob. The second FIR pertained to an incident in Vikaspuri on November 2, 1984, where Gurcharan Singh was allegedly set on fire during the violence. The prosecution claimed that Sajjan Kumar had either instigated or led the mob involved in these incidents.
During the trial, the court examined witness testimonies, documentary evidence, and the arguments put forward by both sides. After assessing the material on record, the judge concluded that the prosecution had failed to establish Sajjan Kumar’s role beyond reasonable doubt. The court pointed to inconsistencies in witness statements and a lack of reliable corroborative evidence linking the accused directly to the acts of violence.
Granting him the benefit of doubt, the court ordered Sajjan Kumar’s acquittal in both cases. The judge made it clear that the decision was based strictly on legal principles and the evidence presented during the trial, without any external considerations.
Sajjan Kumar has faced multiple criminal cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots over the years. While he has been acquitted in several matters, he has also been convicted in other cases and is currently serving a life sentence in one of the most prominent riot-related cases. Legal experts note that each case is decided independently, and an acquittal in one does not affect convictions in others.
The latest verdict has drawn mixed reactions. While the defence welcomed the ruling as a reaffirmation of the rule of law, some survivors of the riots and families of victims expressed disappointment, saying that justice continues to elude them even after more than forty years. Despite the emotional weight of the case, the court reiterated that its role was limited to evaluating evidence and delivering a judgment in accordance with the law.