Court seeks CBI's reply on Sajjan Kumar's plea

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) A Delhi court Monday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file its reply on Congress leader Sajjan Kumar's plea asking if witnesses can be confronted with their affidavits submitted to the commission set up to examine 1984 riot cases.

District Judge J.R. Aryan issued the notice to the CBI, returnable by May 19, to respond to Sajjan Kumar's plea.

Sajjan Kumar's counsel, I.U. Khan told the court that the probe agency is not relying upon certain documents of the complainant and key prosecution witness in the case, Jagdish Kaur. Earlier the CBI brought her evidence on record.

Khan said that prosecutor R.S. Cheema had on July 12, 2010, made a statement to the court that affidavits of a witness in the case cannot be used as they are contradictory.

The prosecuting agency relied upon these two affidavits and statement of Jagdish Kaur filed before the Ranganath Mishra Commission of Inquiry and the Nanawati Commission of Inquiry July 2, 2010, he said.

The trial court, while framing charges against the accused, had also relied on these documents, added Khan.

The court was hearing the final arguments in a case against Sajjan Kumar and the other five accused of inciting mob against the Sikh community during the riots that broke out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi Oct 31, 1984.