SC seeks response from Sajjan Kumar in 1984 riots
The Supreme Court on Thursday sought response from Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, accused in the 1984 riots cases, on a plea filed by the SIT challenging the anticipatory bail granted to him by the Delhi high court.
NEWDELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases, on a plea filed by the Special Investigation Team challenging the anticipatory bail granted to him by the Delhi high court.
A bench of Justice AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan said it is high time that these cases are tried at the earliest. The bench asked Kumar to “fully cooperate” with the investigation and file his response within two weeks.
The bench said it was an over 30-year-old case and it took around “200 pages” for the high court to grant anticipatory bail when it could have been done in just “40-50 pages”.
The SIT probing the riots, has approached the apex court challenging the Delhi high court’s February 22 order which declined the investigating agency’s plea seeking the cancellation of the anticipatory bail.
In December 2016, a trial court granted Kumar anticipatory bail in two cases related to the killing of three Sikhs during the riots which occurred in the aftermath of the assassination of the then prime minister, Indira Gandhi.
Kumar had submitted that his name was never taken earlier and it was a case of fresh allegations coming up after 32 years.
After the high court upheld the trial court’s order, the SIT approached the Supreme Court.
Additional solicitor general Maninder Singh, appearing for the SIT, said the investigation started against Kumar only in 2016, and now he has come armed with a battery of lawyers and dictates his statement to the investigating officer of the case.
The ASG said that while granting anticipatory bail to him, the high court had said that everything will be tested during trial but granted bail in the end saying there was no evidence. Singh said, “This was totally contrary to the established procedure of law.” The bench then issued the notice to Kumar.
The SIT set up by the Centre in 2015 to investigate riot cases, has charged Kumar with murder, attempt to murder and rioting on the basis of complaints by Harvinder Singh, one of the victims. It contended that the bail order was perverse while overwhelming circumstances were ignored.