Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar
Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar on Monday surrendered before a Delhi court to serve life sentence in connection with a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which he was convicted by the Delhi High Court.
He surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg.
Earlier on December 22, Sajjan Kumar filed an appeal in the Supreme Court after the High Court dismissed Kumar’s plea seeking more time to surrender. The court, while awarding him a life sentence, had directed him to surrender by December 31 and also levied a fine of Rs 5 lakh on him. In his plea, he had sought 30 additional days to surrender, on account of settling family affairs with regard to property and inheritance.
ALSO READ | 1984 anti-Sikhs riot case: Sajjan Kumar moves SC, files appeal against his conviction by Delhi High Court
Meanwhile, former MLAs Kishan Khokhar and Mahender Yadav, who were convicted in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case along with Sajjan Kumar, surrendered before a Delhi court on Monday to serve a 10-yr jail term.
Khokhar and Yadav surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg after the court accepted their application to surrender.
The high court had on December 17 also convicted former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, retired naval officer Captain Bhagmal and Girdhari Lal.
ALSO READ | 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots: Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar moves Delhi HC, seeks time till Jan 31 to surrender
The case relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar part-I area in Palam Colony in South West Delhi on November 1-2, 1984, and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar part II during that period.
The riots had broken out after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984 by her two Sikh bodyguards.
The high court in its judgment had said that the riots were a "crime against humanity" perpetrated by those who enjoyed "political patronage" and aided by an "indifferent" law enforcement agency.
The six accused, including Kumar who was a Member of Parliament at that time, were sent for trial in 2010. Three years later, the lower court convicted five of the accused but acquitted him of all the charges.
All six, including Kumar, were directed by the high court to surrender by Monday, and not to leave Delhi.
