US court rejects SJP's request in anti-sikh riots case

NEW YORK: A US court here has rejected a request by a Sikh rights group seeking more time to respond to a motion filed by Congress President Sonia Gandhi to dismiss a human rights violation case against her in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots brought by the group.

Judge Brian Cogan of Manhattan federal court turned down the request for a 21-day extension made by a lawyer on behalf of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).

SFJ was given time till February 6 to "investigate" whether Gandhi was in the city between September 2 and September 9, 2013 and file its opposition to her motion to dismiss the human rights violation lawsuit due to insufficient service of summons.

Gandhi had submitted a new declaration on January 13 to the US court in support of her motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

In the declaration, Gandhi stated that she has "not been in New York or in the United States during the period of September 03, 2013 through September 09, 2013."

SFJ has said that Gandhi was in the city for medical treatment at the Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre during September.