1984 riots: SC notice to CBI on Sajjan Kumar's plea

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the CBI on a plea by Delhi Congress MP Sajjan Kumar on against his conviction and sentence of jail till the remainder of his life in a case of the killing of five persons here in 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Ashok Bhushan and Sanjay Kishan Kaul sought a response from the investigating agency and others within six weeks after a brief submission by his counsel senior advocate Amrendra Sharan.

The court also sought a reply from the CBI on his plea for bail as he had surrendered and sent to jail.

Sharan said Kumar has been on bail during the pendency of the trial and he had never misused any condition.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the CBI and senior advocates Dushyant Dave and H S Phoolka represented the victims.

The Delhi High Court had last month found Kumar guilty for criminal conspiracy of murder and giving provocative speeches and held the mass killings in Delhi and elsewhere in November 1984 were in fact crimes against humanity.

It also noted those responsible for the mass crimes enjoyed political patronage and managed to evade prosecution and punishment with the facilitation of law enforcement agencies.

The HC told Kumar to surrender by December 31 to serve the prison term.

Within days, 73-year-old Kumar filed the appeal against the judgement, that had overturned his acquittal by a Delhi court in 2013.

Jagdish Kaur, a key witness in the case, has already the Supreme Court with a caveat urging the court to hear her before granting any relief to Kumar.

After the high court's judgement, he had resigned from primary membership of Congress party.