NEW DELHI, Feb. 17: A Delhi court on Wednesday issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against former Union minister and senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in two cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) can now arrest him.
Additional chief metropolitan magistrate Lokesh Kumar issued the warrants for Kumar and six other accused for February 23.
Taking strong exception to Mr Kumar’s absence from the court, ACMM Kumar observed, "He (Sajjan Kumar) was duty-bound to appear. The accused was called to appear before the court but he chose to challenge it before a superior court... but he could not get any relief." The court said, "Mere pendency of the bail application in the absence of any specific order from the superior court could not ipso-facto constitute a valid ground for granting exemption." The Delhi high court, meanwhile, deferred the hearing on Mr Kumar’s anticipatory bail plea till Thursday. Justice S.L. Bhayana said, "I don’t want to do injustice to any of the parties as I have not dealt or read the file. Let the matter be listed before the regular bench." The CBI can arrest Mr Kumar any time now as long as he is not granted bail. The agency charged the Congress leader and others under various sections of the IPC, including 302 (Murder) and 153-A (Rioting).
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