1984 riots: Court to frame murder charges against Sajjan Kumar May 24

NEW DELHI - A city court Wednesday deferred till Monday the framing of murder charges against Congress leader Sajjan Kumar for the killing of five people during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Additional Sessions Judge Sunita Gupta will frame charges May 24.

The court adjourned the case Tuesday after the investigating agency moved an application pointing out a typing error in an order of the court. The error was corrected by the court Wednesday.

Counsel for the investigating agency said that section 339 (wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was mentioned in the court order due to a typing error, instead of section 449 (house trespass) which was one of the actual charges against Sajjan Kumar.

Gupta Saturday ordered framing of charges against the Congress leader under provisions for murder, dacoity, mischief, house trespass and promoting enmity between different communities.

According to the CBI, the Congress leader Nov 1, 1984 instigated a mob to kill Sikhs following the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards.

Five others accused with Sajjan Kumar - Balwan Khokhar, Mahender Yadav, Capt Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal, and Krishna Khokhar - were charged with leading the mob and killing Sikhs.

The CBI filed a charge sheet against Sajjan Kumar and others in two cases for allegedly instigating mobs during the riots, in which more than 3,000 Sikhs were killed across Delhi.

The Delhi High Court had earlier ordered completion of trial relating to the 1984 riots within six months.