A Delhi court on Thursday acquitted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a case linked to the alleged incitement of violence during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the Janakpuri and Vikaspuri areas of the capital. The verdict, delivered orally by Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh, marks another complex chapter in the long and tortuous legal pursuit of justice for one of independent India's darkest episodes.
The case pertains to the killings of at least two individuals—Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh—in Janakpuri on November 1, 1984. A detailed, reasoned order explaining the grounds for the acquittal is awaited.
In his defence, Kumar, a powerful political figure at the time of the riots, maintained his complete innocence. He told the court he was "never part of the incident" and could not have been involved "even in his dreams." His legal team argued that the prosecution failed to establish his presence at the spot of the alleged crime.
The defence further contended that Kumar's name was added to the case only in 2015, after a gap of 36 years, which they claimed fatally weakened the credibility of the charges. The cases were registered based on the recommendations of a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
For the families of the victims, the acquittal was a devastating blow. Outside the courtroom, grief and anger spilled over as they reiterated that justice had once again been denied.
"We haven’t received justice. We lost our husbands, fathers, and brothers. Ten members of my family were killed," said one grieving family member, struggling to hold back tears.
Expressing deep anguish, the kin stated that Kumar deserved to be hanged and vowed to continue their fight. "We have been fighting for the last 40 years. We will not stop. We will approach the High Court," they declared, showcasing a resolve hardened by decades of struggle.
The legal path for this specific case has been winding. In August 2023, the court had framed charges against Kumar for offences including rioting and promoting enmity, while discharging him of murder and criminal conspiracy charges related to these particular incidents.
The acquittal on Thursday, however, does not grant Kumar freedom. He remains incarcerated in Tihar Jail. In a separate, more significant verdict from February 2023, a trial court sentenced him to life imprisonment for the murder of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in Delhi's Saraswati Vihar during the same riots. Kumar's appeal against that life sentence is currently pending before the Supreme Court.
The 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which erupted following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, resulted in the deaths of 2,733 people in Delhi alone, according to the government-appointed Nanavati Commission. The commission's report highlights the systemic challenges in securing justice: of 587 FIRs filed in Delhi, about 240 were closed as "untraced," and approximately 250 resulted in acquittals.
Only 28 cases ultimately led to convictions, with about 400 individuals being found guilty. Around 50 people, including Sajjan Kumar, have been convicted of murder.
Today's acquittal in one case underscores the formidable legal hurdles survivors and victims' families have faced for four decades. It also sets the stage for the next round of their legal battle, as they prepare to challenge the verdict in a higher court, clinging to the hope for accountability that has, for so long, remained just out of reach.
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