Delhi HC closes Sajjan Kumar's appeal in 1984 riots case after former MP's death
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday closed the appeal filed by former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar against his conviction in a murder case linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, following his death last week. Kumar, who was serving two life sentences in Tihar jail, died on August 20.
A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Vikas Mahajan stated that the appeal would abate in view of the appellant's demise. The case pertained to the killings of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in the Saraswati Vihar area of Delhi on November 1, 1984.
The anti-Sikh riots erupted in the national capital after then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. The violence led to the deaths of thousands of Sikhs across India, with Delhi witnessing some of the worst carnage.
Kumar was convicted on February 12, 2025, and sentenced to life imprisonment on February 25, 2025, by a trial court. The court observed that while the killings of two innocent persons were undoubtedly a serious offence, it did not fall under the 'rarest of rare' category warranting the death penalty. The trial court also imposed a fine of approximately ₹2.4 lakh on Kumar.
The prosecution had established that Kumar was part of a mob that set the victims' house on fire, brutally killed them, and looted their belongings. The evidence presented in court spanned decades, underscoring the prolonged legal battle that followed the riots.
In a separate case, Kumar had already been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court on December 17, 2018, for his role in the killings of five Sikhs and the burning of a gurdwara during the same riots. That conviction was later upheld by the Supreme Court.
With the High Court now declaring the appeal abated, the trial court's conviction and sentence in the Saraswati Vihar case stand undisturbed. The abatement of an appeal is a legal provision under the Criminal Procedure Code, which applies when the appellant dies, resulting in the conclusion of the appellate proceedings.
The 1984 anti-Sikh riots remain a painful chapter in India's history. Over the years, multiple judicial inquiries and investigations, including by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted in 2014, have sought to bring the perpetrators to justice. Sajjan Kumar was among the most high-profile individuals to be convicted in connection with the violence.
His death and the subsequent closure of the appeal bring an end to one of the many legal cases arising from the riots, though several others continue to be pursued. The High Court's decision on Tuesday marks a finality in this particular case, ensuring that the conviction recorded by the trial court remains in effect.
The case is a reminder of the long quest for justice for the victims of the 1984 riots and the legal mechanisms that have evolved to address such crimes. While the abatement may not provide closure to the families of the victims, it upholds the legal principle that an appeal cannot proceed without the appellant.
