Sajjan involved in anti-Sikh riots

[Mehtab Singh]

http://www.ndtv.com/topstories/showtopstor...+riots&id=15229

Sajjan involved in anti-Sikh riots: Nanavati

Rajdeep Sardesai

Tuesday, September 7, 2004 (New Delhi):

Justice GT Nanavati, who is heading the probe into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, has told NDTV that serious evidence points to the involvement of Congress MP Sajjan Kumar.

20 years after the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, not a single major Congress politician has been indicted.

Case against Sajjan

Justice Nanavati says that evidence has been provided to him against Sajjan Kumar and former Congress union minister HKL Bhagat.

While Bhagat is seriously ill, Kumar who was acquitted by a Delhi court, was elected as an MP this time with a large margin.

The main case against Sajjan Kumar was filed by Anwar Kaur, who accused him of leading a mob that killed her husband a day after former prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated.

"There is evidence against Sajjan Kumar and HKL Bhagat. They were leading the mob and instigating the crowd," said Justice GT Nanavati, head of the inquiry commission.

Cong leaders implicated

However, according to the judge, evidence against the other Congress leaders who deposed before the commission is limited.

They include Union Commerce Minister Kamalnath, NRI Minister Jagdish Tytler and senior Congressman Vasant Sathe.

"They would stand in a different category Evidence against these Con

gress leaders are not strong," said Nanavati.

Questions raised

When NDTV tried to contact Sajjan Kumar, he refused to comment, but the Congress is questioning the credibility of the Nanavati Commission.

"It's surprising that just a few months before the conclusion of the inquiry, names are being mentioned. I think it's unnecessary for members of the commission to speak to the media," said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi.

Final arguments before the inquiry commission are now over, and Justice Nanavati says he will submit his report by November.

And once the report is released, it could become a major embarrassment for the Congress in general, and Sajjan Kumar in particular.

[Guest stopsingh2]

This commission will go the way of previous ones. No action will be taken and it will be quickly forgotton.

It is time that th SGPC or the DGPC started to fund civil law suits against the accused. The burden of proof in civil cases is usually lower.

We also had stories of this act of genocide being taken to an international court. Not heard anything baout that for a while now.