A Delhi court on Tuesday sentenced Sajjan Kumar, a former Congress MP, to life imprisonment for his role in the murders of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The three-time parliamentarian was found guilty of leading and inciting a mob that targeted Jaswant Singh and his family.
The 1984 assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards triggered widespread violence against the Sikh community at the time. Mobs, instigated by political leaders, carried out brutal attacks, killings, and arson across Delhi and other parts of India.
Who is Sajjan Kumar?
Sajjan Kumar was born on September 23, 1945, to Raghunath Singh and Mee Kaur. He completed his education up to the matriculation level. The 79-year-old was a corporator and bakery owner before stepping into politics.
In 1977, Sajjan Kumar was sworn in as Delhi Councillor. He was first elected to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and later became General Secretary of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), Delhi. He was a loyalist of Sanjay Gandhi, the son of Indira Gandhi.
In 1980, he was elected to the 7th Lok Sabha from Outer Delhi constituency on a Congress ticket. He was re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991. In 2004, he won the Outer Delhi seat again with a record over 8.5 lakh votes.
Sajjan Kumar was a key accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that broke out after Indira Gandhi's assassination. The riots led to the killing of thousands of Sikhs, mainly in Delhi. He was accused of instigating mobs in Sultanpuri, Delhi Cantonment and other areas in the national capital. Witnesses claimed he gave inflammatory speeches and provided rioters with Rs 100 and liquor.
But political influence and witness intimidation delayed action against him for decades. A 1984 fact-finding report by the People's Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) and the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) named him a main instigator. Riot survivors confronted him at a police station, and Sikh refugees later rejected his aid attempts.
Before 2005, the Delhi Police investigated Sajjan Kumar's role in the riots. Later, the case was handed over to the CBI based on the recommendation of the Justice G.T. Nanavati Commission. The CBI found that Kumar had conspired with the police to erase his name from eyewitness testimonies.
In 2010, he was charged with murder, rioting, criminal conspiracy, and inciting violence. In 2013, a district court acquitted him, but the CBI challenged the decision in the Delhi High Court.
On December 17, 2018, the Delhi High Court sentenced Sajjan Kumar to life imprisonment for his role in the 1984 riots. The next day, he resigned from the Indian National Congress. His lawyer appealed to the Supreme Court, but it was rejected. In 2020 and 2022, the Supreme Court denied multiple bail pleas on medical grounds. On April 27, 2022, he was granted bail in one riot-related case but remained in jail due to his conviction in another case.
On February 12, 2025, a Delhi court convicted him in a second case for instigating and participating in the murder of Jaswant Singh and his son, Tarundeep Singh, on November 1, 1984. The two Sikh men were doused in petrol and burned alive by a mob of Congress supporters. Kumar and his supporters also assaulted Jaswant Singh's wife and niece. Fourteen eyewitnesses testified against him. On February 25, 2025, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for this case.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja delivered the verdict, rejecting the complainant's demand for the death penalty. The court convicted Kumar on February 12 and sought a psychological report from Tihar Jail, where he is currently lodged.
