1984 anti-sikh riots: SIT wants death penalty for two convicts

NEWDELHI: A special investigation team (SIT) probing the 1984 antisikh riots case on Thursday sought death penalty for two persons convicted by a court here, saying that it was a rarest of rare case. The court on Wednesday had convicted the two accused — the first conviction in the cases reopened by the SIT.

Additional sessions judge Ajay Pandey reserved for November 20 the order on the quantum of punishment to be awarded to Naresh Sherawat and Yashpal Singh for killing Hardev Singh and Avtar Singh in Mahipalpur area of South Delhi during the riots.

The SIT demand was opposed by the counsel appearing for the convicts who sought life imprisonment for his clients, which is the minimum for the offence of murder.

After the proceedings, while the convicts were being taken to the lock up on the Patiala House Courts premises, BJP MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa slapped one of the convicts, Yashpal Singh.

The case was lodged on a complaint filed by Santokh Singh, a brother of Hardev Singh.

Delhi Police had closed the case in 1994 for want of evidence. However, a special investigation team formed in relation to the riots reopened the case.

The court held both the accused guilty under various Sections, including 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 395 (dacoity) and 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) of the IPC.

In a tweet on Thursday, Union minister and Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal said: “Finally, a ray of hope for the 1984 victims. Delhi Police had closed the case in 1994, for want of evidence but our govt formed the SIT in 2015 to bring the culprits to justice. We will not rest till the last murderer is brought to justice.”

ADDITIONAL SESSIONS JUDGE AJAY PANDEY RESERVED THE ORDER ON QUANTUM OF SENTENCE TO NOV 20