Sajjan Kumar to face trial
Delhi court rejects his plea, refers anti-Sikh riot cases to Special CBI Court
New Delhi: The former Congress MP, Sajjan Kumar, will face trial in the 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases as a Delhi court on Saturday referred the cases to a Special CBI Court, rejecting a plea of his. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Lokesh Kumar Sharma declined to take on record an application of Mr. Kumar seeking certain documents related to the charge sheet filed against him in two cases and directed the Congress leader and others to appear before the special judge on March 27.
“I am not impressed with the arguments and contentions of the accused. It seems that the application has been filed to cause further hindrance in committing the case to the Sessions Court,” the ACMM said.
“Under the garb of application, the accused is trying to set up his defence by placing his documents and records,” he said.
Mr. Kumar had sought certain documents and statements of witnesses recorded by the investigating agency during the probe.
“So far as withholding of records is concerned, it is for the prosecuting agencies to suffer the consequences,” the court said.
The Delhi High Court on February 8 asked the trial court to put the anti-Sikh riot cases on a fast track with a direction to wind up the proceedings within six weeks.
Senior advocate I.U. Khan, appearing for Mr. Kumar, submitted that the CBI had failed to supply the documents necessary for the just decision of the court. He had a tough time convincing the court on the contents of the documents running into over 100 pages.
“I have gone through the contents of the application and perused the documents. The bunch is so bulky, it is humanly impossible to examine it within a short span of time,” Mr. Sharma said.
Meanwhile, the court directed all the accused to appear before a Special CBI Court on March 27 while referring the file to the District Judge.
The High Court on February 26 granted bail to Mr. Kumar citing delay in the deposition of witnesses against him. — PTI
( The Hindu )
