Ex-Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, Convicted In 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Case, Dies

way2barak, Aug 21: Sajjan Kumar, who was serving a life term for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, died at 80 on Thursday. He was brought dead to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital, hospital sources said. Kumar had been involved in multiple cases relating to the violence that followed the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, with legal proceedings continuing for over three decades.

For over three decades, Kumar faced multiple criminal cases relating to the 1984 violence. The outcomes varied across different courts, with cases resulting in both acquittals and convictions. His legal proceedings included cases concerning killings and incidents of violence in different parts of Delhi following the assassination of Indira Gandhi.

In the Raj Nagar case, involving the killing of five members of a family and the torching of a gurudwara, the Delhi High Court overturned an earlier trial court acquittal on December 17, 2018. Kumar was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. He surrendered and remained in jail from December 2018.

In the Saraswati Vihar murder case, Kumar was accused in the killing of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh on November 1, 1984. A trial court had earlier acquitted him. On February 25, 2025, Special Judge Kaveri Baweja awarded him a second life term, sparing the death penalty due to his age, ailments and conduct in jail.