Sajjan Kumar, convicted in 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases, dies in Delhi jail hospital

Sajjan Kumar, who was serving two life sentences in Tihar jail in connection with the 1984 riots, died on August 20

Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar died Thursday while serving life sentences. He was undergoing treatment for age-related ailments at Safdarjung Hospital. Kumar had been lodged in Tihar Jail since 2018 after his conviction. He was sentenced in cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. His parole hearing was scheduled for Thursday in the Supreme Court.

The three-time Lok Sabha member was serving life imprisonment in Tihar jail.

Sajjan Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court on December 17, 2018, in a case related to the murder of five Sikhs during the 1984 anti-Sikh killings

New Delhi: Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, who was serving a life sentence in Tihar Jail in connection with cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots died at the age of 80 on Thursday. He was rushed to Safdarjung Hospital, where the doctors declared him brought dead. The hospital has not yet clarified the cause of his death.Cases against Sajjan KumarKumar faced multiple major criminal cases linked to orchestrating and inciting violence during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He was convicted in major murder cases and acquitted or discharged in others due to evidentiary standards.Ex-Congress MP Sajjan Kumar Dies At 80; Was Serving Life Sentence In Tihar Jail For Role In 1984 Anti-Sikh RiotsOn December 17, 2018, the Delhi High Court overturned a 2013 trial court verdict acquitting Kumar in the case. He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.The case concerned the murder of five Sikh men in Raj Nagar Part-I, Palam Colony, as well as the burning of a gurdwara during the widespread violence. The High Court held Kumar guilty of criminal conspiracy and abetment and directed that he remain in prison for the rest of his natural life. In its judgment, the court had described the 1984 anti-Sikh violence as "crimes against humanity".Kumar's challenge to his conviction and sentence remains pending before the Supreme Court. Earlier this year, in January, a Delhi court acquitted Kumar in two separate cases related to allegations that he had incited violence in the Janakpuri and Vikaspuri areas during the 1984 riots.However, the acquittals did not lead to his release, as Kumar continued to serve life sentences in other cases linked to the violence. In February 2025, the Rouse Avenue Court handed Kumar another life sentence in the Saraswati Vihar case. He was convicted for his involvement in a mob attack in which a father and son, Jaswant Singh and Tarundeep Singh, were allegedly burned alive.The prosecution had sought the death penalty for Kumar. However, the court awarded him life imprisonment, taking into consideration factors including his advanced age and health condition.

Sajjan Kumar was serving life sentence by the Delhi High Court in a case related to the killing of five Sikhs and the burning of a gurdwara during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Sajjan Kumar, a three-time Congress MP, was convicted of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that broke out after Indira Gandhi's assassination.

Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar died after being declared brought dead at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. He was serving life imprisonment for 1984 anti-Sikh riots convictions.

Sajjan Kumar, who was serving life imprisonment in Tihar jail, was rushed to Safdarjung Hospital, where the doctors declared him brought dead.

Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar died at the age of 80 on Thursday while serving a life sentence in Tihar Jail in connection with cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. According to sources cited by news agency ANI, Kumar was brought dead to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital.Sajjan Kumar, former Member of Parliament and leader of the Indian National Congress, is no more. He was brought dead to Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital: Hospital sourcesANI File Photo pic.twitter.com/BvYJR9PXcT— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2026 Kumar was serving a life term after being convicted in two cases linked to the 1984 riots.In one of the cases, Kumar was convicted for the killing of five Sikhs in Delhi Cantonment’s Palam Colony, following which a gurdwara was also set ablaze. The Delhi High Court had sentenced him to life imprisonment on December 17, 2018.#WATCH | Delhi | Jag Parvesh Kumar (in a kurta), son of the late Congress leader and former MP Sajjan Kumar, arrives at Safdarjung Hospital pic.twitter.com/bb5KBMkqZd— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2026 In another case, Kumar was convicted in February 2025 for the killings of two Sikhs, Sardar Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh, in Saraswati Vihar on November 1, 1984. According to the case, the two men were attacked with iron rods and sticks by a mob before being burnt alive. Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment on February 25, 2025.1984 Anti-Sikh Riots: Delhi Court Acquits Sajjan Kumar In Vikaspuri, Janakpuri Violence Case However, in September 2023, a Rouse Avenue court acquitted Kumar in a case concerning the killing of three Sikhs in Delhi’s Sultanpuri during the riots. CBI witness Cham Kaur had alleged that Kumar was inciting the mob during the violence.

Sajjan Kumar exCongress MP convicted for antiSikh riots dies at in jail