Earlier on December 21, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Sajjan Kumar’s plea which sought more time to surrender.
Sajjan Kumar (File Photo: IANS)
1984 anti-Sikh riots convict and former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar surrendered in Delhi’s Karkardooma Court on Monday hours before the deadline given by the Delhi High Court ended.
The police have taken him to the Mandoli jail in east Delhi. The Court had ordered for a separate van to be provided for his movement due to security reasons.
Earlier on December 21, the high court had dismissed Sajjan Kumar’s plea which sought more time to surrender. Kumar had moved an application before the Delhi High Court seeking 30 days to surrender, saying he had to settle family affairs.
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Read | 1984 anti-Sikh riots | Delhi HC rejects Sajjan Kumar’s plea for more time to surrender
The Delhi High Court on December 17 convicted Sajjan Kumar and sentenced him to life imprisonment in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, describing the mass killings as “crimes against humanity”.
The case relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar part-I area in Palam Colony in South West Delhi on November 1-2, 1984, and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar part II during that period.
Reversing the acquittal order of the trial court, the high court held him guilty of the crime and ordered him to surrender by December 31 this year.
The court while delivering its verdict, further ordered that Sajjan Kumar “shall not from this moment till his surrender, leave the NCT of Delhi and immediately provide to the CBI the address and mobile number(s) on which he can be contacted”.
The court said the “accused enjoyed political patronage and escaped trial”.
Besides Kumar, Captain Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal and former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar were also sentenced to life imprisonment. Kishan Khokkar and former legislator Mahender Yadav were sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The 1984 riots followed the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by two of her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Hundreds of innocent Sikhs were killed, mainly in Delhi.
According to reports, over 3000 people were killed in the riots in and outside Delhi.
Earlier, Delhi’s Patiala House Court had adjourned another 1984 anti-Sikh riots case against Sajjan Kumar for January 22.
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