New Delhi (September 07, 2012): Congress leader and Sikh genocide 1984 accused Sajjan Kumar, is facing a trial for various offences under Indian Penal Code. The has reached at the stage of final argument and defence arguments are currently in progress. It is notable that genocide is a specific crime in India and Sajjan Kumar is charged under ordinary penal code.
On September 06, 2012 the Sajjan Kumar argued in the Delhi court that there were inconsistencies in statements of witnesses who had deposed against him. He alleged that the witnesses tired to frame him.
According to media reports continuing final arguments in the case, accused Sajjan Kumar’s counsel I. U. Khan told District Judge J. R. Aryan that several witnesses said one thing before judicial commissions set up to probe 1984 violence related cases, but they changed their statements before the court and said something else.
Khan argued that inconsistent statements were made by key witness and complainant Jagdish Kaur to frame his client Kumar in the case. He said Jagdish Kaur in her affidavit to Justice Nanavati Commission in 2000 had said that on November 1, 1984, a mob of 100 people, led by Sajjan Kumar, entered her house and killed her husband and son. “In the same affidavit, she had said on November 2, 1984 morning when she approached the police station, on her way she saw M.P. Sajjan Kumar organising a meeting and she felt Kumar would help her in saving the lives of her children and for cremating the dead bodies of her husband and son. “If she had seen Kumar leading the mob on November 1, how could she think of taking help from the same person the next day?” argued Khan.
Sajjan Kumar, Balwan Khokkar, Kishan Khokkar, Mahender Yadav, Girdhari Lal and Captain Bhagmal are facing trial in the killings of six people in Delhi Cantonment area during the 1984 carnage which had broken out after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984. They are accused of instigating a mob to attack and kill the Sikhs.
It is notable that On July 3, 2010, Jagdish Kaur, during her cross examination in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Sunita Gupta identified Sajjan Kumar as a person instigating the mob during the massacre. Along with Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Kaur identified Sajjan Kumar’s nephew Balwant Khokkar, Girdhari Lal and Captain Bhagmal as accomplices. She told the court that she had made the same statements before all authorities, be it Nanavati Commission, CBI or the magistrate in Punjab but persons/officials who were writing down her statements, noted it differently.