The acquittal of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar on Tuesday may be termed as partial relief because another case related to 1984 Sikh riots — Sultanpuri area is still pending in the Delhi High Court. Kumar had challenged the trial court order framing charges against him in the matter related to the killings of six persons. Justice Suresh Kait, who was scheduled to pronounce the verdict on Monday has fixed May 15 as the date for further hearing in the matter.
The judgement was reserved in the case by the High Court in December last year. While saying that the matter required further hearing, the court said, “While dictating the judgement, I felt this matter should be heard further”.
In the Sultanpuri case, besides Kumar, co-accused Ved Prakash Pial alias Vedu Pradhan and Brahmanand Gupta had also moved the HC against framing of charges against them.
Complainant Sheela Kaur had filed a cross-appeal in the High Court seeking to invoke the charges of criminal conspiracy against Kumar and other four accused in the case. In July 2010, a trial court had framed charges against Kumar, Brahmanand Gupta, Peru, Khushal Singh and Ved Prakash in connection with the case in which six persons were killed in Sultanpuri in anti-Sikhs riots that erupted in Delhi and elsewhere after the assassination of then PM Indira Gandhi.