1984 riots: Delhi Police shielded Sajjan Kumar, says CBI to Supreme Court

NEW DELHI - The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday told the Supreme Court that the special anti-riots cell of the Delhi Police had conducted ’sham investigations and farce prosecutions’ to apparently shield senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in connection with his role in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which six persons were killed.

The investigating agency an affidavit urged the apex court to vacate the stay it granted on Kumar’s trial in August 13 after the former Member of Parliament challenged his prosecution.

The CBI pleaded that the stay ’seriously prejudiced’ the prosecution against the Congress leader.

An apex court Bench comprising Justice P Sathasivam and Justice B S Chauhan while taking on record the affidavit - posted to September 7 the final hearing of the CBI’s plea to prosecute Kumar for the Delhi Cantonment riots.

The Delhi High Court had on August 20 rejected a plea to stay the trial of Sajjan Kumar in connection with his role in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

Kumar has two cases registered against him, one of which, a case involving the death of five persons in the Delhi Cantonment area, has been stayed.

The Delhi High Court had on July 19 dismissed Kumar’s petition challenging a trial court’s order to frame charges against him in the case.n the order, Justice Vipin Sanghi questioned the motive of the Delhi Police in cancelling the First Information Report against Sajjan Kumar when the CBI was still probing the matter.

Justice Sanghi directed the trial court to hold the proceedings against him expeditiously in the anti-Sikh riots cases.

The trial court had on July 7 framed charges against him in another case in connection with the riot case.

The trial court had in May this year framed charges under Sections 302 (murder), 395 (dacoity), 427 (mischief to property), 153A (promoting enmity between different communities) and other provisions of the IPC paving the way for trial of Kumar and five others.

The Supreme Court had on March 29 granted relief to him, saying it would not intervene with a Delhi High Court order that granted bail to Kumar in the case.

The Delhi High Court had on February 26 granted bail to Sajjan Kumar in connection with two cases registered against him in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

The Karkardooma Court had on February 23 issued a fresh non-bailable warrant against Kumar and slammed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for its failure to arrest Kumar and others accused in the case.

Earlier, the court had issued two non-bailable warrants against Kumar, who had surrendered before the court on March 10. (ANI)