Sajjan Kumar cleared of murder charge, but not for rioting, arson

A Delhi court on Wednesday discharged former Congress member of Parliament Sajjan Kumar of murder charges in a case related to the anti-Sikh riots in which two people were killed outside the party office in Uttam Nagar on November 2, 1984.

- Deepankar Malviya

The court, however, ordered framing of charges against Kumar for abetment to murder, rioting, arson, promoting enmity between different groups, defiling place of worship, hurt, dacoity etc in a second riots case that took place on November 1.

In one case, a mob consisting of hundreds of people armed with sticks, iron rods, bricks and stones gathered near a gurdwara in Gulab Bagh in the national capital's Nawada area on November 1, 1984 at 11 am.

"Accused Sajjan Kumar was a part of the said mob and common object of the said mob was to put the gurdwara on fire and to burn and loot the articles lying therein, and also to burn and destroy the houses of Sikhs situated in the said locality," the court said.