Delhi court convicts 2 in killing of two Sikhs during 1984 anti-Sikh riots

New Delhi, Nov 14: Delhi's Patiala House Court convicted two accused Naresh Sehrawat and Yashpal Singh in connection with the killing of two Sikhs in south Delhi's Mahipalpur area during 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Naresh Sehrawat and Yashpal Singh were facing charges of criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, rioting, weapon possession, attempt to murder and murder etc under section 452/302/307/324/395/436 read with section 149 IPC.

The court to pronounce sentence against both tomorrow (Nov 15).

In April 2017, The Delhi police had issued fresh summons to Naresh Sehrawat and Yashpal Singh for their alleged involvement with the case three decades after the anti-Sikh riots.

Thousands of Sikh men and boys were bludgeoned, slashed and burned to death by mobs in the days after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Activists have accused the then ruling Congress of having turned a blind eye and say some of its leaders helped orchestrate the violence.

The Delhi High Court had granted bail to a 91-year-old man serving life term in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case on health grounds in July 2018.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Anu Malhotra released retired naval officer Captain Bhagmal on bail for a period of six weeks.

Bhagmal, former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, Girdhari Lal and two others were held guilty in a case relating to the murder of five members of a family in Raj Nagar area of Delhi Cantonment on November 1, 1984, after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

They had challenged their conviction and the sentence awarded by the trial court in May 2013. The trial court had acquitted Congress leader Sajjan Kumar but awarded life term to Bhagmal, Khokhar and Girdhari Lal and three-year jail term to two others former MLA Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokhar.