A Delhi court on Tuesday sentenced former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar to life imprisonment for his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, convicting him of the murder of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh on November 1, 1984.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja delivered the verdict, rejecting the prosecution’s demand for the death penalty. While the murder charge carried a maximum sentence of death and a minimum of life imprisonment, the court opted for the latter.
Kumar, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail, was convicted on February 12, after which the court sought his psychiatric and psychological evaluation based on a Supreme Court directive in capital punishment cases.
The case, initially registered at Punjabi Bagh Police Station, was later handed over to a special investigation team. According to the prosecution, a large mob, armed with deadly weapons, engaged in widespread looting, arson, and attacks on Sikhs in retaliation for the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The mob reportedly stormed the complainant’s house, killed Jaswant Singh and his son, looted valuables, and set the house on fire.
