The Supreme Court of India has scheduled a hearing in July for the appeals of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and former councillor Balwan Khokhar, challenging their sentences in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. Justices J K Maheshwari and Aravind Kumar presided over the preliminary proceedings and stated that if the final hearing is delayed, the petitioners may request the suspension of their sentences.
This case pertains to the heinous acts of violence against the Sikh community in the aftermath of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. The violence, which claimed many lives and devastated countless others, led to a protracted legal battle culminating in significant convictions years later.
In 2018, the Delhi High Court upheld the life sentence of Balwan Khokhar while overturning the acquittal of Sajjan Kumar by a trial court in 2013. Kumar was found guilty of involvement in the murder of five Sikhs in the Raj Nagar Part-I area of Palam Colony, Southwest Delhi, on November 1-2, 1984, and for the arson of a gurdwara in Raj Nagar Part-II.
Khokhar, in his appeal, mentioned that his request for early release was denied by jail authorities on September 26, 2024, citing potential adverse repercussions and threats to public peace and tranquility. Despite having already served 8.7 years of his sentence, his subsequent bail application was dismissed on February 3, 2023.
The upcoming hearing in July is poised to address these complex appeals, which have drawn attention not only for their legal implications but also for their significant historical and communal impact. As India continues to deal with the shadows of its past, the Supreme Court’s decisions in these cases will be closely watched for their broader implications on justice and communal harmony.
