CBI chargesheets Sajjan Kumar in 1984 riot cases

NEW DELHI: The CBI on Wednesday filed chargesheets against former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a Delhi court for his alleged involvement in two cases relating to the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom. The Congress leader is accused of murder and promoting enmity between communities. The agency filed its investigation report in the court of chief metropolitan magistrate Kaveri Baweja.

The cases in which the chargesheets were filed against Mr Kumar and others were registered in Sultanpuri and Delhi Cantonment police stations following the killing of seven and five persons respectively in the riots that broke out after the assassination of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

The investigating agency also filed a closure report in a case registered with the Mongolpuri police station in which one person was killed in the carnage.

In both the chargesheets, Mr Kumar, a former MP from Outer Delhi Constituency, has been accused of murder and promoting enmity between classes under section 302 and 153-A of the Indian Penal Code. Five persons, including Mr Kumar, have been named as accused in the Sultanpuri case while eight persons are accused in the Delhi Cantonment case.

The CMM marked both the chargesheets as well as the closure report to the court of additional chief metropolitan magistrate Lokesh Kumar at Karkardooma Court here. The probe report will come up for consideration on Monday at the Karkardooma court.

All the three cases were registered on the recommendation of Justice G T Nanavati Commission which had inquired into the sequence of events leading to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The commission had submitted its report in 2005.

Mr Kumar’s name for contesting the last Lok Sabha election last year was withdrawn by Congress following public outcry over his indictment by the Nanavati Commission for his involvement in the anti-Sikh riots. Jagdish Tytler was the other prominent Congress leader against whom the commission had recommended criminal prosecution. CBI’s closure report against Mr Tytler is pending before a designated court in Karkardooma.