Anti-Sikh riot: Sajjan Kumar gets relief

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The Supreme Court today stayed the trial court proceedings against senior Congress leader Mr Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riot case.

 A Bench of Mr Justice P Sathasivam and Mr Justice BS Chauhan directed the lower court not to proceed with the case till 27 July when Delhi High Court is likely to take up Mr Kumar’s plea for allowing him to cross-examine the witnesses whose statements before various commissions are being used by the CBI against him in anti-Sikh riot case.

 The SC passed the order on former MP Mr Kumar’s appeal challenging the High Court’s order which had refused to stay the trial against him in anti-Sikh riot case. The CBI vehemently opposed Mr Kumar’s appeal and alleged that it was a delaying tactics on his part.

 The Bench, however, was not satisfied with the agency’s plea and stayed the proceedings. The Bench also asked the HC to hear Mr Kumar’s petition expeditiously. The trial court was scheduled to commence hearing from tomorrow the final arguments on the part of accused, starting with Mr Kumar.

 Mr Kumar has appealed in the HC against the trial court order which had refused to allow him to use a riot victim’s statements to the various judicial commissions, including G T Nanavati and Ranganath Mishra Commissions, in the past to defend himself.

 He said as many of the witnesses have changed their testimonies made before the commissions, he be allowed to cross-examine them with regard to those statements. Mr Kumar’s plea was earlier dismissed by the trial court which had said the witness Ms Jagdish Kaur’s statements to the judicial commissions cannot be used for any purpose, including that for discrediting her testimony or to impeach her.

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