New Delhi, December 31, 2009
Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Tejinder Khanna on Thursday granted sanction to the CBI to charge sheet senior Congress leader of Delhi and former Member of Parliament P. Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.
Mr. Kumar is accused of spreading violence during the anti-Sikh riots that
rocked the Capital and other parts of the country in the aftermath of the
assassination of the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, on October 31, 1984.
The sanction was required in Mr. Kumar's case as he was also charged with
Section 153-A of the Indian Penal Code [spreading enmity between two
communities], well placed sources in the Home Ministry said.
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said at a press conference on Thursday that he had issued "certain direction on December 16, 2009 regarding pending sanctions for prosecution."
He told the Rajya Sabha recently that the Lt. Governor was advised to decide by December-end the CBI request for prosecuting the Congress leader.
The CBI has completed investigation or re-investigation of seven cases,
including those involving Mr. Kumar. In four cases, the agency had sought
permission from the competent authority – the Lt. Governor – to prosecute the accused.
The case was registered against Mr. Kumar following the report of the Nanavati Commission in February 2005.
Congress, BJP reactions: (PTI reports)
Reacting to the development, the Congress said law would take its course in the matter.
"Law will take its own course. The Congress does not interfere in legal
matters," party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said.
Mr. Kumar was given the party ticket to contest from the South Delhi
parliamentary constituency in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. But after a public outcry against fielding him and Jagdish Tytler for the elections, the party cancelled their nominations.
The BJP asked why Mr. Tytler was being "spared" and demanded time-bound trial against the accused.
"What about Jagdish Tytler? Why is he not being prosecuted? And why was there so much delay?" BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
The Hindu : News / National : CBI gets Lt. Governor's sanction to prosecute Sajjan Kumar
Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Tejinder Khanna on Thursday granted sanction to the CBI to charge sheet senior Congress leader of Delhi and former Member of Parliament P. Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.
Mr. Kumar is accused of spreading violence during the anti-Sikh riots that
rocked the Capital and other parts of the country in the aftermath of the
assassination of the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, on October 31, 1984.
The sanction was required in Mr. Kumar's case as he was also charged with
Section 153-A of the Indian Penal Code [spreading enmity between two
communities], well placed sources in the Home Ministry said.
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said at a press conference on Thursday that he had issued "certain direction on December 16, 2009 regarding pending sanctions for prosecution."
He told the Rajya Sabha recently that the Lt. Governor was advised to decide by December-end the CBI request for prosecuting the Congress leader.
The CBI has completed investigation or re-investigation of seven cases,
including those involving Mr. Kumar. In four cases, the agency had sought
permission from the competent authority – the Lt. Governor – to prosecute the accused.
The case was registered against Mr. Kumar following the report of the Nanavati Commission in February 2005.
Congress, BJP reactions: (PTI reports)
Reacting to the development, the Congress said law would take its course in the matter.
"Law will take its own course. The Congress does not interfere in legal
matters," party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said.
Mr. Kumar was given the party ticket to contest from the South Delhi
parliamentary constituency in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. But after a public outcry against fielding him and Jagdish Tytler for the elections, the party cancelled their nominations.
The BJP asked why Mr. Tytler was being "spared" and demanded time-bound trial against the accused.
"What about Jagdish Tytler? Why is he not being prosecuted? And why was there so much delay?" BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
The Hindu : News / National : CBI gets Lt. Governor's sanction to prosecute Sajjan Kumar
