Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar sentenced to life imprisonment in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case

Justice After 39 Years: Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar Gets Life Term for 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots

In a historic verdict that brought closure to decades of waiting, a Delhi court on Thursday sentenced former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar to life imprisonment for his role in the brutal 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The judgment marks a watershed moment in India's long pursuit of justice for one of its darkest chapters.  

The 78-year-old politician, once a powerful figure in Delhi's political circles, was convicted of orchestrating mob violence in the capital's Sultanpuri area during the carnage that followed then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination. The court found Kumar guilty of inciting and leading armed mobs that killed five members of the same family, including two children.  

"Time doesn't diminish the gravity of crime," pronounced Special Judge Rakesh Syal, observing that Kumar had "enjoyed political patronage" that helped him evade justice for years. The courtroom, packed with survivors now in their 60s and 70s, erupted in quiet sobs as the verdict was read.  

Among them was Jagdish Kaur, now 72, who lost her husband, son, and three cousins. "Today, I feel my family can finally rest in peace," she told reporters outside the court, her hands trembling as she clutched faded photographs of her loved ones. "For 39 years, we lived with their screams in our ears."  

The judgment comes after a tortuous legal battle spanning four decades, during which witnesses turned hostile, cases were closed, and investigations were repeatedly stalled. The breakthrough came in 2018 when the Delhi High Court overturned Kumar's acquittal, calling the initial trial a "travesty of justice."  

Special Public Prosecutor H.S. Phoolka, who has fought for riot victims since 1984, termed the verdict "a message that no one is above the law." However, he added soberly: "This is just one case. Over 3,000 Sikhs were killed in Delhi alone. Most perpetrators still walk free."  

The sentencing has reignited painful memories across Sikh neighborhoods in the capital. In Tilak Vihar, known as "Widow Colony" for housing hundreds of riot-affected families, elderly survivors gathered at a gurdwara to recite prayers. "We lost everything that November – homes, businesses, families," said 65-year-old Surinder Singh, who was 26 when he watched his father being burned alive. "No punishment can bring them back, but today we feel heard."  

As Kumar was taken to Tihar Jail, human rights activists cautioned that the verdict, while significant, represents just a fraction of the justice owed. The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee announced plans to document oral histories of survivors, ensuring future generations remember the tragedy.  

For the victims' families, the life sentence brings bittersweet closure. "My mother didn't live to see this day," said Harvinder Singh, who was 10 when his parents were killed. "But maybe now our children can believe in justice."