Delhi High Court ends Sajjan Kumar’s appeal after his death

The Delhi High Court has formally closed the appeal filed by former Union Minister Sajjan Kumar in the anti‑Sikh riots murder case, citing his death earlier this year. Kumar, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment in 2018 for his alleged role in the 1984 violence, had been contesting the conviction at the time of his passing.

The case revolves around the fatal shooting of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh at Saraswati Vihar on November 1, 1984, an incident that formed part of the larger wave of mob attacks that followed Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination. The Special CBI Court had found Kumar guilty of orchestrating the killings, a verdict that was upheld by the Supreme Court before the appeal reached the Delhi High Court.

Following Kumar’s death, the bench ruled that the appeal could no longer proceed, effectively rendering the conviction final. The court’s order noted that legal proceedings cannot continue against a deceased individual, and therefore the matter was abated.

Legal experts say the closure underscores the finality of the 2018 judgment, which was hailed by victims’ families as a step toward accountability for the 1984 riots. Human rights groups have long called for comprehensive justice for the thousands of Sikhs who were killed or displaced during that period, and the ruling reaffirms the judiciary’s stance that the convictions stand irrespective of the appellant’s demise.

The decision also highlights the broader judicial process surrounding the 1984 anti‑Sikh riots, where several political figures have faced investigations, trials, and convictions over the past decade. While the closure of Kumar’s appeal does not reopen the case, it serves as a reminder of the lingering legal and moral reckonings that continue to shape India’s handling of that dark chapter in its history.