Now Reading: Delhi HC abates Sajjan Kumar’s appeal after his death
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Delhi HC abates Sajjan Kumar’s appeal after his death
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday closed an appeal by former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar challenging his conviction in a murder case from the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, after his death on August…
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday closed an appeal by former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar challenging his conviction in a murder case from the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, after his death on August 20. Kumar was serving two life sentences in Tihar jail. A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Vikas Mahajan said the appeal would abate.
The case concerned the killings of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in Saraswati Vihar on November 1, 1984, during the riots that followed Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination. Kumar was convicted on February 12, 2025, and sentenced to life imprisonment on February 25, 2025. The trial court called the killings of two innocent persons serious but not the rarest of rare case. He was also fined Rs 2.4 lakh.
In 2018, the Delhi High Court had sentenced Kumar to life in a separate case for the killing of five Sikhs and burning of a gurdwara during the same riots. With his death, the current appeal has been formally abated by the court.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both The Hindu and Deccan Chronicle reported the abatement identically, leading with the court's order and detailing the original crime and sentence. The coverage is uniform straight reporting, with no difference in framing or omission. The legal consequence is clear: Kumar died serving two life sentences, and his final appeal has been closed without a merits ruling. The 1984 riots cases against other accused remain pending.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): thehindu.com (neutral report), deccanchronicle.com (neutral report)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
