The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday told the Supreme Court that 1984 anti-Sikh violence convict Sajjan Kumar’s plea challenging the life term awarded to him should be dismissed, PTI reported.
The Delhi High Court had in December sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment and held him guilty of murder, promoting enmity between groups, and defiling public property. The Delhi High Court’s verdict had reversed a lower court’s 2013 judgement acquitting Kumar. He was sent to jail after he surrendered before a trial court on December 31. He also resigned from the Congress.
In January, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the CBI based on Kumar’s plea against his sentence. Last month, Justice Sanjeev Khanna recused himself from hearing the case.
On Friday, the CBI told the Supreme Court that Kumar has “large political clout”, and claimed that a fair trail will be impossible if he is granted bail. The investigation agency added that Kumar is capable of “influencing or terrorising” witnesses.
A bench of Justice SA Bobde and Justice SA Nazeer said the matter will be heard next on March 25.
The violence against Sikhs in early November 1984 had followed the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The case in which Kumar was convicted is related to the murder of five Sikhs in Delhi Cantonment’s Raj Nagar Part-I area and arson at a gurdwara in Raj Nagar Part-II.
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