Delhi HC refuses to transfer Sajjan's case to another bench

New Delhi, Nov 4: The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed pleas of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and others for transfer of their case relating to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi to another judge.

A division bench of Justice Gita Mittal and Justice P.S. Teji refused to send the case to another bench of the Delhi High Court.

Congress leaders Sajjan Kumar, Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokkar had alleged bias by Justice Teji, saying he should not hear the matter as he had heard the case as a trial court judge earlier.

The CBI had opposed the plea and sought its dismissal on the ground that it was an attempt to delay the proceedings. 

The CBI had said that Justice Teji had never conducted trial proceedings in the case and had heard the bail plea only when he was a trial court judge, since as a sessions judge then he was handling bail matters. 

In 2013, Sajjan Kumar was acquitted by a trial court in the case relating to the killing of five Sikhs by a mob in Delhi Cantonment's Raj Nagar area during the 1984 riots. Yadav along with Khokkar was sentenced to three years in jail and are on bail.

The CBI had challenged Sajjan Kumar's acquittal, while others had challenged their conviction in the high court.