Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, who was serving a life sentence in connection with 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases, died at the age of 80
New Delhi: Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, who was serving a life sentence in connection with 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases, died at the age of 80 on Thursday. His death has brought renewed focus on one of India’s most controversial political and legal cases, which continued for nearly four decades through investigations, court hearings and major judicial developments.
Sajjan Kumar, once a powerful Congress leader from Delhi and a three-time Lok Sabha MP, passed away while undergoing imprisonment at Delhi’s Tihar Jail. After his health condition deteriorated, he was taken to Safdarjung Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Sajjan Kumar was lodged in Tihar Jail after being convicted in cases linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. His name remained one of the most prominent among political figures facing legal action over the violence that followed the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.
The Delhi High Court had sentenced Sajjan Kumar to life imprisonment in December 2018 in a case related to the killing of five members of the Sikh community in the Delhi Cantonment area during the riots. The former MP continued his legal fight against the convictions, with appeals pending before higher courts.
#Breaking: Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar passes away at the age of 80. He was serving a life sentence in connection with 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases. #Congress #SajjanKumar pic.twitter.com/bdnQv7dYr7
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Sajjan Kumar was considered one of the influential Congress leaders in Delhi politics during the 1980s and 1990s. He began his political career as a municipal councillor and later rose within the Delhi Congress organisation. He represented the Outer Delhi Lok Sabha constituency and became a Member of Parliament three times — in 1980, 1991 and 2004.
Before entering electoral politics, Kumar was associated with the bakery business. During his political rise, he was regarded as a leader with significant influence in Delhi’s political circles. However, his political career was later overshadowed by allegations and court proceedings related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
The 1984 anti-Sikh riots remain one of the most debated episodes in India’s post-independence history. The violence erupted after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. Thousands of Sikhs were killed in Delhi and other parts of the country during the unrest.
For years, victims and families continued demanding justice, leading to several investigations, commissions and judicial proceedings. The cases involving Sajjan Kumar became among the most closely watched legal battles connected with the riots.
Sajjan Kumar faced multiple cases related to the 1984 violence, with courts delivering different verdicts in separate matters. In the Delhi Cantonment case, Kumar was convicted for the killing of five Sikhs in the Raj Nagar area and was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court in 2018.
In another case connected with the killing of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in Saraswati Vihar, a Delhi court convicted him in 2025 and awarded life imprisonment.
However, the former Congress leader was also acquitted in some cases. In January 2026, a Delhi court acquitted him in the Janakpuri-Vikaspuri violence case related to allegations arising from the 1984 riots. Despite the acquittal in that matter, he remained in jail because of other convictions.
The legal journey of Sajjan Kumar reflected the complexity of riot-related cases in India, where investigations often continued for decades after the incidents. Several cases were reopened after the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the central government in 2015 to examine previously unresolved cases connected with the 1984 violence. The proceedings involved charges related to murder, criminal conspiracy, rioting and unlawful assembly.
After the Delhi High Court conviction in 2018, Sajjan Kumar resigned from the primary membership of the Congress party. The conviction became a major political issue, with opposition parties repeatedly raising questions about accountability and justice for victims of the 1984 riots. The case remained a significant point of discussion in Indian politics, especially regarding the role of political leaders during periods of communal violence.
Sajjan Kumar’s death has once again brought the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases into public discussion. For victims and survivors, the cases represented a long struggle for justice, while the legal proceedings became an example of how complex criminal cases involving influential personalities can continue for decades.
His death marks the end of a controversial political journey but the wider debate around justice, accountability, delayed trials and the legacy of the 1984 violence is expected to continue.
