HC extends bail of 1984 riots convict

New Delhi, August 18

The Delhi High Court today extended till August 24 the interim bail granted to a former Congress councillor, serving life term in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, to enable him to arrange funds for paying his lawyers.

A Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Anu Malhotra granted relief to Balwan Khokhar, who had sought extension of bail till October to finalise the sale of his properties.

Initially, he was given interim bail on July 20, which was extended till August 8. His application for extension was moved as the interim bail was expiring today.

Congress leader Sajjan Kumar had been acquitted in this case by the trial court, but Khokhar was convicted along with four others.

Khokhar, retired naval officer Capt Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal and two others were held guilty in a case about the murder of five members of a family in Raj Nagar area of Delhi Cantonment on November 1, 1984, after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

They had challenged their conviction and the award of life sentence by the trial court in May 2013. — PTI