The acquittal of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom case stirred a widespread protest on Tuesday, with an agitator hurling a shoe at the judge in the Karkardooma court.
Hundreds of anxious people who had gathered at the court since Tuesday morning lost their temper after the judgement around 3 pm. They raised slogans against the Congress and the Government, and accused the Delhi Police of shielding Sajjan Kumar. An infuriated Sikh protester, identified as Karnail Singh, went to the extent of hurling a shoe at the judge.
District and Sessions Judge JR Aryan acquitted Sajjan Kumar, but convicted five others — former councillor Balwan Khokkar, former MlA Mahender Yadav, Kishan Khokkar, Girdhari lal and Captain Bhagmal. The case pertains to the murder of five members of a family — Kehar Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Raghuvender Singh, Narender Pal Singh and Kuldeep Singh — in Delhi Cantonment’s Raj Nagar area following the assassination of the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi.
The court has now fixed May 6 for hearing the arguments on quantum of sentence in the case. Kumar, a former lok Sabha member from Outer Delhi, still faces trial in another 1984 rioting case. In the third case, the Delhi Police has filed a closure report, saying there was no evidence against Kumar.
The case against Kumar and others was registered in 2005 on a recommendation of Justice GT Nanavati Commission. CBI had filed two charge sheets against him and the other accused in January 2010.
Karnail Singh, who hurled the shoe at the judge, was immediately taken into custody by police and was later formally arrested. A case under Sections 186 (obstructing public servant from discharging duties) and 353 (assault) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered. He will be produced before the court on Wednesday. His counsel, however, said Karnail Singh, a resident of Punjab’s Firozpur, did not hurl the shoe at the judge intentionally but it was on the spur of the moment. As a mark of protest, complainant Jagdish Kaur sat on protest inside the courtroom saying she would not leave until justice is done. Anticipating protests, a heavy police bandobast was put in place on the court premises.
Sajjan Kumar entered the court around 2 pm while the petitioners waited inside the courtroom. A large number of people from petitioners’ side had gathered in and around the court expecting a verdict against Sajjan Kumar. When the news of acquittal reached the crowd, they got enraged and got inside the court complex. However, they were prevented from entering the courtroom.
The protesters shouted, “Sajjan Kumar haay haay, Delhi Police haay haay”. Amid much hue and cry, some of the protesters were detained and taken out of the court complex.
The Delhi Police shoved them into their vans and took them to the nearest police station. This, however, could not suppress the voices of the protesters. Even after being pushed into police vans, the protesters stuck their heads out of the windows and continued to bellow in agony. Thirty-four people were detained for protesting outside the court against the judgement. Among those detained were Manjit Singh GK, president of Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee; Manjinder Singh Sirsa, General Secretary of DSGMC; Ravinder Singh Khurana, Senior vice-president DSGMC; and Harmit Singh Kaka, Joint Secretary, DSGMC.