Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar Passes Away at 80 After Life Sentence
Sajjan Kumar's Death and Legal Troubles
File image of Sajjan Kumar(Photo: @rohitjain2706/X)
New Delhi, Aug 20: Sajjan Kumar, a former Member of Parliament from the Congress party, passed away on Thursday at the age of 80 in a hospital in Delhi. He was serving a life sentence related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
While incarcerated at Tihar Jail, Kumar's health declined, prompting his transfer to Safdarjung Hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Kumar was convicted for his involvement in the deaths of five individuals during the riots that erupted in Delhi's Palam Colony on November 1 and 2, 1984, following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
On December 17, 2018, the Delhi High Court overturned a previous acquittal from 2013, leading to his conviction and life sentence.
The case involved the murder of five Sikh men in Raj Nagar Part-I, Palam Colony, and the destruction of a gurdwara amid the violence. The High Court characterized the events of 1984 as "crimes against humanity" and found Kumar guilty of criminal conspiracy and abetment, ordering him to remain imprisoned for life.
Kumar's appeal against his conviction is still pending before the Supreme Court.
Earlier this year, in January, a Delhi court acquitted him in two other cases related to allegations of inciting violence in Janakpuri and Vikaspuri during the riots.
Despite these acquittals, Kumar remained in custody due to ongoing life sentences from other cases linked to the riots.
In February 2025, he received another life sentence from the Rouse Avenue Court for his role in a mob attack that resulted in the deaths of a father and son, Jaswant Singh and Tarundeep Singh, who were reportedly burned alive.
Although the prosecution sought the death penalty, the court opted for life imprisonment, taking into account Kumar's age and health.