Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court on Tuesday in connection with a murder case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The verdict follows Kumar's conviction on February 12, with the court also directing Tihar Central Jail authorities to submit a psychiatric and psychological evaluation report. This order aligns with a Supreme Court directive mandating such assessments in cases that carry the death penalty.

While life imprisonment is the minimum sentence for murder, the maximum punishment under the law is capital punishment.

The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) general secretary, Jagdip Singh Kahlon, expressed dissatisfaction with the sentence, stating that the death penalty would have been a more appropriate punishment for Kumar.

"We are disappointed that Sajjan Kumar was not awarded capital punishment. While life imprisonment after 41 years is a form of justice, a death sentence would have been more satisfactory," Kahlon told ANI.

Similarly, Sikh leader Gurlad Singh insisted that only the death penalty would be acceptable. "We are not content with the court’s verdict. We will urge the government to approach a higher court to seek capital punishment for Sajjan Kumar," Singh stated.

The complainant in the case, who lost her husband and son in a mob attack allegedly instigated by Kumar during the 1984 riots, also sought the death penalty.

The anti-Sikh riots erupted after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated on October 31, 1984, by her Sikh bodyguards, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh. The assassination followed Operation Blue Star, a military operation in June 1984 targeting Sikh militants, including Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who had taken refuge inside the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Senior advocate HS Phoolka, representing the complainant, argued that Kumar led and incited the mob to commit acts of genocide, crimes against humanity, and brutal killings. He contended that Kumar deserved no less than the death penalty.

Jaswant Singh and his son, Tarundeep Singh, were murdered on November 1, 1984, as part of the large-scale violence that unfolded across Delhi. Phoolka also pointed out that Kumar had been previously convicted by the Delhi High Court for five other murders in the Raj Nagar area of Delhi Cantonment, which were part of the same larger pattern of genocide.

The prosecution highlighted that a violent mob, armed with weapons, carried out looting, arson, and attacks on Sikh properties in retaliation for Indira Gandhi's assassination. The complainant’s house was targeted, resulting in the deaths of her husband and son, along with the destruction of their property.

The Nanavati Commission, which investigated the riots, reported that 587 FIRs were registered in Delhi, documenting 2,733 deaths. Among these cases, 240 were closed as "untraced," while 250 resulted in acquittals. Only 28 cases led to convictions, with approximately 400 individuals found guilty, including 50 for murder—among them, Sajjan Kumar.

At the time of the riots, Kumar was a prominent Congress leader and Member of Parliament. He was previously sentenced to life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court for the murders of five people in Palam Colony on November 1 and 2, 1984. His appeal in that case remains pending before the Supreme Court.