Jarnail Singh, who was present outside the court, told ABP News, “This is no time to celebrate as the case is now going to move forward to High Court and Supreme Court and anything can happen. Masterminds like Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar are still roaming scot-free. They should be brought to justice for the well-organized anti-Sikh pogrom.”
The verdict by Delhi Court is the first conviction in the cases reopened by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), set up in 2015. Delhi police had closed the case in 1994 for want of evidence. However, a SIT on the riots reopened it. This is also the first death sentence pronounced in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case by a local court.
In the verdict of the case came which after 34 years, one of the victims demanded that a fast track court should be set up to hear the 1984 riot cases where big fish like Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar should be prosecuted.
Earlier On 14 November, Additional Sessions Judge Ajay Pandey held Naresh Sherawat and Yashpal Singh guilty of killing the duo Hardev Singh and Avtar Singh in Mahipalpur area of South Delhi during the riots in 1984. The court held both the accused guilty under various sections including 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 395 (dacoity) and 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) of the Indian Penal Code.