Court dismisses Sajjan Kumar's plea to drop witnesses in 1984 riots case

A Delhi court on Wednesday dismissed a plea of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar that sought to drop nine CBI witnesses in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case against him.

Kumar and three others accused are facing trial in the case and they have requested the court to drop the names of nine prosecution witnesses claiming they were "irrelevant".

District Court Justice JR Aryan dismissed the Congress leader's plea and posted the matter for January 10 for prosecution evidence in the case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had opposed Kumar's plea. Senior advocate HS Phoolka, appearing for the riot victims, backed the CBI saying that the nine witnesses are very important in the case and if their names are removed then it will be miscarriage of justice.

The court had earlier framed various charges, including murder and rioting against Sajjan Kumar, Brahmanand Gupta, Piru, Khushal Singh and Ved Prakash in connection with the killing of a man in Sultanpuri area of the national capital in the riots that took place after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi Oct 31, 1984.

Accused Khushal Singh has died.