February 18, 2025: In a significant development in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, the Delhi Police has requested the death penalty for former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, who was convicted last week in connection to the killings of two Sikh men during the riots. The Delhi court had convicted Kumar in relation to the deaths of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh, who were killed on November 1, 1984, in Saraswati Vihar, northwest Delhi.

The court will hear arguments on the quantum of sentencing on February 20, after delays due to a lawyers' strike, according to Kumar's lawyer.

Kumar, who is already incarcerated in Tihar Jail for his involvement in a separate murder case related to the 1984 violence, has been accused of leading a mob that killed the Singh family and incited further violence. The prosecution argued that the mob, led by Kumar, looted and destroyed properties belonging to Sikhs, eventually killing the two victims before setting their home on fire.

The victims' family has also called for the death penalty, echoing the police's written submissions in favor of a severe sentence. Kumar's lawyer has stated that the former MP would respond to the police's submissions in court.

In December 2024, after hearing the final arguments, the court reserved its judgment. During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence suggesting Kumar's active role in inciting and leading the violent mob, and the court found "sufficient material" to support his involvement.

Kumar has a history of convictions linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, including charges of abetting violence, making inflammatory speeches against Sikhs, and disrupting communal harmony. These riots erupted after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984, following Operation Bluestar.

Following its victory in 2014, the Narendra Modi-led government had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to re-examine the cases related to the riots, which had long remained mired in controversy.