"Grateful to the court": Advocate HS Phoolka after Sajjan Kumar's conviction in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case; sentencing on Feb 18

New Delhi [India], February 13 (ANI): After a Delhi court convicted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in the 1984 anti-Sikh riot case, advocate HS Phoolka said that the court will pronounce the quantum of sentence on February 18.
Phoolka also expressed gratitude to the court, public prosecutor Manish Rawat, and investigating officer Jagdish Kumar, who worked diligently on the case.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Phoolka said, "Today the CBI Special Court Judge Kaveri Baweja has convicted Sajjan Kumar for the murder of two Sikhs in 1984. This is a case involving the murder of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarandeep Singh. This case was closed by the police. It was reopened after the Modi government appointed SIT in 2015."
"We are grateful to the court, the public prosecutor Manish Rawat and the IO Jagdish Kumar who worked very hard on this... On the 18th of February, the court will pronounce the sentence..." he said.
On Wednesday, the Rouse Avenue Court convicted Sajjan Kumar in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. The case is related to the killings of one Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in Saraswati Vihar on November 1, 1984.
Sajjan Kumar is already serving a life sentence in another 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in Delhi Cantonment.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja pronounced the verdict on Wednesday. Kumar was physically produced before the court.
On January 31, the court reserved the order after hearing additional submissions by Public Prosecutor Rawat.
During the trial, Kumar's lawyer, Advocate Anil Sharma argued that his client's name was not mentioned initially and was added 16 years later. He also pointed out that Kumar's earlier conviction by the Delhi High Court is pending appeal in the Supreme Court.
However, Additional Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat countered that the victim did not initially recognize Kumar but named him later. The prosecution alleged that Kumar led the mob and instigated them to kill the victims, burning them alive and looting their property.
The court has scheduled arguments on the quantum of sentence for February 18.
This verdict is a significant development in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, which resulted in the deaths of 2,700 Sikhs in Delhi. (ANI)