1984 anti-Sikh riots case: MHA roots for enhanced security for Sajjan Kumar

NEW DELHI: Congress leaders embroiled in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots face increased security threat following the acquittal of Sajjan Kumar in one of the cases, the home ministry believes, even as its directive to provide extra cover to the Delhi-based politician has not been complied with for over six months.

ET has learnt that after receiving intelligence reports on threat to Sajjan Kumar’s life, the ministry had on September 24, 2012, asked the Central Industrial Security Force ( CISF) to provide him with a mobile escort of Z-plus security in Delhi and extend the cover to the rest of the country.

However, the CISF cited a shortage of vehicles to take over Kumar’s security from Delhi Police, which has been protecting him and making elaborate arrangements at the court premises during his appearances.

“The CISF has suggested that Kumar’s security should be continued with Delhi Police. A decision is still pending,” an official in the home ministry told ET.

Similar security concerns prompted the home ministry to order a Z-level security cover for Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath last year from the CISF, which took over Nath’s security on May 5, 2012, by providing him a mobile security cover across the country. Though Nath was given a clean chit in 2005 by the Nanavati Commission, which probed the 1984 riots, intelligence inputs with the Centre suggested that he was still a target for Sikh extremists who perceived him to be involved in the riots.

In 2010, a riots advocacy group of Sikhs based in the US had filed a law suit in New York against Nath alleging he was involved in the 1984 riots, but the complaint was dismissed in 2012.

Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, against whom a court has recently ordered reinvestigation for his alleged role in the 1984 riots, also has a Z-plus security cover from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. Forty armed personnel and three escort vehicles, along with an armed guard at the residence, are provided under the Z-plus security cover while a Z-level cover comes with 33 security men and two escort vehicles.