1984 riots: HC seeks govt’s reply on life convict’s furlough plea

The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the Delhi government to reply to a plea by former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, a life convict in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, for furlough to re-establish social ties.

Justice Ravinder Dudeja also issued notice to the jail authorities on Khokhar’s plea and asked them to file a status report before the next date of hearing on November 17.

The convict has sought quashing of a September 4 order of the jail authorities rejecting his furlough application on the grounds that his release could pose a threat to public peace and order.

He has sought a 21-day furlough to re-establish social ties with his family.

Khokhar, along with four others, was convicted in 2013 by a trial court for the offences of murder and rioting. In the same case, former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar was acquitted.

The case dates back to November 1, 1984, when five Sikh persons were killed and a gurdwara in Ghaziabad’s Raj Nagar was torched following the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

In December 2018, the High Court upheld Khokhar’s conviction and sentence, while overturning Kumar’s acquittal. Khokhar’s appeal against the High Court’s verdict is currently pending before the Supreme Court.