Former Congress Member of Parliament Sajjan Kumar, who was serving a life sentence in Tihar Jail in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, has died at the age of 80. He was taken to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi after his health deteriorated, where medical authorities declared him brought dead. Kumar was serving life imprisonment after being convicted in two distinct cases related to the anti-Sikh violence.
Conviction in the Delhi Cantt and Palam Colony Violence Case
Kumar was held guilty in a major case involving the murder of five Sikh citizens and the burning down of a local Gurdwara in Palam Colony, located within the Delhi Cantt area. Following extensive judicial proceedings, the Delhi High Court convicted Sajjan Kumar on December 17, 2018, and sentenced him to life imprisonment, after which he was incarcerated in Tihar Jail.
The Saraswati Vihar Double Murder Case
Additionally, Sajjan Kumar was convicted for his involvement in another tragic incident that occurred on November 1, 1984, in Delhi's Saraswati Vihar area. During that event, rioters armed with iron rods and sticks violently attacked Sardar Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh before setting both victims on fire while still alive. The court found Kumar guilty in this matter on February 12, 2025, and subsequently handed down a sentence of life imprisonment on February 25, 2025.
Acquittal in Sultanpuri Case and Witness Statements
In a separate case concerning the murder of three Sikh individuals in Delhi's Sultanpuri locality, the Rouse Avenue Court granted relief to Sajjan Kumar by acquitting him in September 2023. During the investigation of the riots, Cham Kaur, a key witness for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), had testified before the court alleging that Kumar was actively inciting the violent mob.
