Sikh massacre: CBI to renew case against Cong leader Sajjan

As the Congress-led government comes under pressure over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today said it would reopen the case against Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who has been acquitted earlier.

Sajjan has been accused of instigating some of the pogrom against Sikhs in Delhi after the slaying of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her own security guard. He was cleared of all charges by a special CBI court.

The case against Sajjan pertains to violence in the Delhi Cantonment area. The Congress leader was charged with murder, robbery, rioting, inciting violence, and damaging public property.

The verdict left various Sikh groups in anguish, triggering today's protests.

Nobody has been brought to book so far for the blatant slaying of Sikhs in the wake of Indira's murder. Her son and next prime minister of India Rajiv Gandhi went so far as to say ''when a big tree falls, smaller plants are bound to be crushed''.

District and sessions Judge J R Aryan had on 30 April acquitted Kumar in the 29-year-old case in which he was accused of murder and of instigating a riotous mob that killed five Sikhs in Delhi's cantonment area.

Five others - Balwan Khokkar, an ex-councilor, Mahender Yadav, an ex-MLA, Kishan Khokkar, Girdhari Lal and Captain Bhagmal - were convicted for their involvement in the riots.

Sajjan Kumar, a former Lok Sabha MP from Outer Delhi constituency who was subsequently refused a ticket for 2009 Lok Sabha elections, still face trial in another 1984 rioting case.

In yet another case, Delhi Police have filed a closure report, saying there is no evidence against Kumar.