CBI calls Sajjan Kumar ‘kingpin’ of 1984 anti-Sikh riots, opposes bail

Apex court asks probe agencyto apprise it of the trial status

Sajjan Kumar

The CBI objected to grant of bail to former Congress party leader Sajjan Kumar, saying he is behind the “gruesome” massacre of Sikhs in the 1985 riots in the Capital.

The 73-year-old Kumar was sentenced to life by the Delhi High Court on December 17 for murder in a Delhi anti-Sikh riots case. He has appealed to the Supreme Court and sought bail.

‘Travesty of justice’

But the CBI, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, said Kumar is facing trial in another 1984 riots case and it would be a “travesty of justice” to enlarge him on bail now.

Mr. Mehta described Kumar as a “kingpin” while arguing against bail before a Bench led by Justice S.A. Bobde on Monday. “This is a gruesome offence of massacre of Sikhs. He [Kumar] was the leader and the kingpin of this,” Mr. Mehta submitted. The case in which Kumar is convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Delhi Cantonment’s Raj Nagar Part-I area of south-west Delhi on November 1 and 2, 1984, and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II.

Anti-Sikh riots broke out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards.

Kumar’s counsel, however, countered that he had earlier been granted anticipatory bail. He said his client has been in jail for the past three months.

However, the Bench was also told by one of the advocates that Kumar was a sitting MP in 1984 and several Sikhs were killed during the riots in his constituency.

When Kumar’s counsel referred to the merits of the case, Justice Bobde stopped him, saying “we do not know why you are inviting our attention to the facts of the case... Today, you [Kumar] are convicted by the High Court. It is not a charge by police. We cannot treat it lightly”.

The court asked about the status of trial of the ongoing trial in the second case. Mr. Mehta said it was at the stage of recording of prosecution evidence.

The Bench asked the CBI to further apprise it of the status of the trial and scheduled the bail hearing for April 15.