The verdict was pronounced by the additional Sessions Judge Ajay Pandey and is the first capital punishment in the capital in 1984 riot case.
Welcoming the Delhi court's verdict, where it has awarded death penalty to a convict Yashpal Singh for killing two men in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, and a life term to another convict Naresh Sherawat, the Sikh leaders from various partied came together and lauded the court's verdict.
The verdict was pronounced by the additional Sessions Judge Ajay Pandey and is the first capital punishment in the capital in 1984 riot case.
Lauding the verdict, the Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa mentioned that even though the verdict is satisfying to them but they will now challenge the life sentence of Sherawat and ensure that he is also awarded a death penalty. "We are satisfied with the judgement but we will keep on fighting and challenge the life sentence of one accused and ensure that even he gets "hanged for his crimes," said Sirsa.
Joining the likes of Sirsa was BJP's national secretary Sardar R P Singh, welcomed the decision and urged the apex court to immediately notify the name of third member of the Special Investigation Team formed to monitor further probe into anti-Sikh riots cases of 1984 mainly in Delhi and other states.
On November 14, the court had convicted Singh and Sherawat for killing two men here during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots — the first conviction in the cases reopened by the SIT. The Delhi Police had closed the case in 1994 for want of evidence. However, a Special Investigation Team on the riots reopened it. Of the 650 cases registered in connection with anti-Sikh riots in Delhi, 267 were closed as untraced by the Delhi Police. Of these 267 cases, five were later taken up by the CBI.
The SIT also scrutinised the records of 18 cancelled cases. The SIT found 60 cases appropriate for further investigation. It filed "untraced report" in 52 cases in the last one-and-a-half years. Out of the eight cases being investigated, charge sheets have been filed in five and three, in which senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar is an accused, are pending investigation.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader HS Phoolka said it was a great judgement and now the Sikh leaders are quite hopeful that in other cases also the victims would get justice.
Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief and Akali Dal leader Manjit Singh G K said the judgement will encourage other victims to come forward."Other culprits who were hiding behind the Z plus security would be nailed down," he said.
A Sikh survivor called the judgement 'a start', saying the fight will continue till they get "complete justice" and bring all perpetuators to justice. The Tuesday's verdict was pronounced in the Tihar Jail due to security concerns, and attack on one of the convicts on November 15 in the premises of Patiala House Courts moments after a court reserved its order on the quantum of punishment to be awarded to the accused.
FINE IMPOSE ON TWO CONVICTS
- In the first verdict after the riots-related cases were reopened by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in 2015, the court held that Yashpal Singh’s offence fell under the “rarest of rare” category warranting the death penalty. The Delhi Police had closed this case in 1994 for want of evidence.
- The SIT is investigating nearly 60 cases related to the riots, while it has filed “untraced report” in 52 cases.
- The court also imposed fine of Rs 35 lakh each on both the convicts and directed payment of the fine amount as compensation to surviving family members of deceased Hardev Singh and Avtar Singh.
JUSTICE AT LAST
Over 3,000 Sikhs were killed in New Delhi during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots
- Convicts Yashpal Singh (death penalty) and Naresh Sehrawat (life sentence) killed two young Sikh men in south Delhi’s Mahipalpur during the 1984 riots
- Case was lodged on a complaint filed by Santokh Singh’s brother of Hardev Singh
- Court held them guilty under various IPC sections including 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 395 (dacoity) and 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means)
CASE RECAP
- After the assassination of former PM Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984 by her Sikh bodyguards, anti-Sikh riots spread across the country
- 8,000 Sikhs were killed in more than 40 cities across India by mobs
The prosecution was able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that both the accused persons pulled out the victims, who were hiding inside a room, injured them with dangerous weapons with the intention to kill and threw them down from the first floor, which caused the death of Hardev Singh and Avtar Singh.
Ajay Pandey, Additional Sessions Judge
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