"Trial against Sajjan Kumar can go ahead"

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the trial court to proceed against Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case registered in the Delhi cantonment pertaining to the killing of 60 people.

A Bench of Justices P. Sathasivam and Anil Dave disposed of Mr. Kumar's appeal challenging the Delhi High Court judgment declining to interfere with the framing of charges by the trial court.

The Bench, which had stayed the trial on August 13, vacated the stay and asked the court to proceed with the trial uninfluenced by the observations of the High Court.

Writing the judgment, Justice Sathasivam referred to the plea for quashing proceedings due to delay in prosecution. “Though delay is also a relevant factor and every accused is entitled to speedy justice, ultimately it depends upon various factors and materials placed by the prosecution.”