The Delhi High Court on Friday reserved its order on petition filed by Congress leader Sajjan Kumar against a trial court order framing charges in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, in which six people were killed in the Capital’s Sultanpuri area.
Justice Suresh Kait, who had deferred the pronouncement of the judgement on April 29 saying further hearing was required, on Friday reserved his verdict again, after the counsel for the riots' victim sought framing of additional charge of criminal conspiracy against the Congress leader and other co-accused.
Sajjan Kumar’s counsel, however, opposed the conspiracy charge. Senior advocate HS Phoolka, appearing for complainant Sheela Kaur, said, "There is ample evidence against the accused for charge under 120 B (Conspiracy) of the IPC to be framed against them. All the accused conspired to attack and kill Sikhs."
“Sajjan Kumar started his speech, instigating the mob of about 300-400 people on the morning of October 1, 1984, to kill the people of Sikh community and to loot and burn their houses as Sikhs had killed Indira Gandhi," Phoolka said referring to the chargesheet.
In the Sultanpuri case, besides Kumar, co-accused Ved Prakash Pial, alias Vedu Pradhan, and Brahmanand Gupta had also moved the High Court against framing of charges against them in the case.
CBI also opposed the order of the lower court that recently acquitted Sajjan Kumar and said ample 'prima facie' evidence was there to frame conspiracy charges against him.