1984 anti-Sikh riots: Delhi High Court stays bail granted to Congress leader Sajjan Kumar

The Delhi High Court on Monday stayed a lower court’s order granting bail to Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a rioting and murder case connected with the 1984 riots..Justice Yogesh Khanna also issued notices on a plea by the Special Investigating Team (SIT) investigating the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and posted the matter for further hearing on July 15..The SIT had challenged an April 27 order of Additional Sessions’ Judge (ASJ), Rouse Avenue Court granting bail to Kumar.The High Court was told that Kumar is involved in a heinous crime and some important witnesses are yet to be examined. Therefore, the SIT argued, if he is released on bail, he may tamper with the evidence.“In view of the above, let the notice of this petition be issued to the respondent through all modes returnable on 15.07.2022 and till then the impugned order dated 27.04.2022 shall remain stayed,” the court said in its order.Kumar continues to be in jail since he is serving life sentence in another 1984 riots case. .The present case pertained to the killing of a father-and-son duo, namely, Jaswant Singh and Tarun Deep Singh, by a mob, which was reportedly led by Kumar. He allegedly instigated and abetted the burning of the two victims besides causing damage, destruction and loot of their household articles and inflicting injuries on their family members.The bail order observed that the offences were committed in 1984, underscoring the “long period of more than 37 years” having passed since then.During this time, several cases were registered or re-registered against Kumar in the various parts of Delhi and the present case happened to be one of the related cases to the violence and also the only case in which the accused has been arrested.Kumar was interrogated and arrested in the present case on April 6, 2021, while he was confined in Tihar Jail in the other case..[Read Order].1984 anti-Sikh riots: Former MP Sajjan Kumar gets bail but will remain in jail