New Delhi, May 17
The Delhi High Court today issued notices to newly elected Congress MP Sajjan Kumar and over a dozen others on two revision petitions challenging their acquittal in two anti-Sikh riot cases. They were charged with by the CBI and the Delhi police for their involvement in the 1984 carnage in the Sultanpuri area of West Delhi.
A Bench of Mr Justice D.K. Jain and Mr Justice A.K. Sikri issued the notices on two separate appeals by the SGPC and the family members of the riot victims, challenging the acquittal of Sajjan Kumar and the other co-accused.
Taking congnizance of the revision petition by the SGPC and the victims, including Anwar Kaur, Fota Singh and Salawati Kaur, the court directed Mr Kumar and the other accused to submit their replies by July 15.
The court had earlier issued notice to the Sajjan Kumar and the other accused on the CBI’s petition for condoning the delay in its part in filing the appeal against their acquittal.
Though the SGPC and eight riot victims had filed revision petitions in February 2003 against the trial court’s December 2002 judgement, acquitting Mr Kumar and the other accused, the notices were issued by the court today after prolonged arguments as it had first taken the CBI’s plea for condoning the delay, on which arguments still remained inconclusive.
Notices were issued to the CBI as well as the Delhi police as both agencies had probed a case each. Additional Solicitor General K.K. Sud accepted the notice on behalf of the CBI.
The other accused are Brahamanand Gupta, Om Prakash, Udal Singh, Jai Bhagwan, Perea Ram, Hanuman Prasad, Satvir Singh, Jai Kishan, Suresh Chand, Asla Ram, Mangla, Zile Singh and Nathu Pradhan.
The SGPC and victims’’ counsel alleged that the trial court had not considered the evidence properly in the cases against the accused persons.
Alleging that Mr Kumar had “instigated hooligans to teach Sikhs a lesson” after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, they said nearly 50 persons, mostly male members of the Sikh community were massacred in the Sultanpuri area.
The FIR against the accused was registered in Sultanpuri police station and the probe in one of the case was later handed over to the CBI.
