'Justice finally delivered to victims', says Amarinder Singh on Sajjan Kumar conviction for 84 riots

New Delhi, Dec 17: Congress leader Sajjan Kumar was convicted in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases by the Delhi High Court. Setting aside the lower court's acquittal and pronouncing life sentence for Sajjan Kumar, the high court said, "truth will prevail and justice will be done." Sajjan Kumar has to surrender by December 31 and cannot leave town. He also has to give his mobile number to the CBI.

Soon after the conviction, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has welcomed the conviction of Sajjan Kumar in the 1984 riots case, terming it a case of justice finally delivered to the victims of one of the worst instances of communal violence in independent India.

''CM, however, reiterated his stand that neither the Congress party nor the Gandhi family had any role to play in the rioting & lashed out at the Badals for continuing to drag their names into the case at the behest of their political masters - BJP.ANI added,'' the Punjab CMO said.

Besides Sajjan Kumar, the high court also sentenced Captain Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal and former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar to life imprisonment. Kishan Khokkar and former legislator Mahender Yadav have been given 10 years in jail.

Earlier in 2013, the Karkardooma trial court had acquitted Sajjan Kumar and the others. The victims' families and the CBI had challenged their acquittal in Delhi High Court.