1984 riots: Delhi Police tried to shield accused, says CBI

New Delhi: CBI on Friday alleged that the Delhi Police had failed to act against the main culprits and had tried to shield the accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which Congress leader Sajjan Kumar along with others is facing trial in a court here. Continuing the final arguments, senior advocate RS Cheema, who appeared for the CBI, told District Judge JR Aryan that the two Delhi Police officials who had deposed as defence witnesses in the case were not "reliable".

"Whatever action was taken by the Delhi Police was taken against the people who helped the Sikhs. Police did not take action against the main culprits. No policeman was recording complaint during the riots. They were not helping the victims. They were trying to shield the accused," he said.

Sajjan Kumar is facing trial along with five others - Balwan Khokkar, Kishan Khokkar, Mahender Yadav, Girdhari Lal and Captain Bhagmal - for allegedly inciting a mob against the Sikh community in Delhi Cantonment area. The case relates to anti-Sikh riots that had broken out after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, along with others, is facing trial in a Delhi court in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

"Even the police officials, who were defence witnesses in the case, had said in their statements that they had not seen anything during the riots," Cheema argued. He said that this showed the police was only interested in "discrediting" the statement of eyewitness and complainant Jagdish Kaur and to give "clean chit" to Sajjan Kumar.

"They (police) were not ready to investigate the incident as per law," Cheema, who is likely to conclude arguments on March 18, said. He referred to the statement of defence witness Chajju Ram, a police constable, in which he had deposed that he was on duty during those tumultuous days and did not come across any report of any killing or rioting in the Raj Nagar area.

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