The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a plea of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, sentenced to life term for the murder of five Sikhs during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, seeking 30 more days to surrender.
The HC had earlier this week directed Kumar to surrender by December 31.
Kumar (73), directed to serve the remainder of his life in jail for his involvement in 1984 riots, sought time till January 31 to surrender saying that he “has a large family, certain properties and family matters to settle”.
However, a Bench of Justice S. Muralidhar and Justice Vinod Goel refused to entertain the plea.
The HC had overturned an April 2013 judgment of a trial court here which had acquitted Kumar saying he was the leader of the mob and actively abetted the commission of crimes by his repeated exhortations to the mob to indulge in the mayhem and kill innocent Sikhs.
In his plea, Kumar said he was “at present under shock and surprise” in view of the High Court’s decision to convict him in a case in which he was acquitted by the trial court in 2013.
‘Engage senior advocates’
He said that he wanted to engage senior advocates in the Supreme Court where the High Court verdict can be appealed.
Kumar, who was on bail throughout the span of the case proceeding, said he never flouted the bail condition.
“The applicant [Kumar] is the best person to brief his counsel and inform them about the facts. The applicant prays that he be granted further extension of 30 days so as to enable him to settle his family affairs to meet his close relatives, near and dear ones including friends who have been associated with him over a period of 73 years of his life,” his application stated.
