1984 anti-Sikh riots: Delhi High Court grants time to govt to reply to convict's plea for furlough

The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted time to the city government to file its response on a plea by former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, for release from jail on furlough to re-establish social ties.

Justice Ravinder Dudeja also allowed a plea by Khokhar seeking to advance the date of hearing from February 4, 2026.

The high court now listed the matter for hearing on December 5 and asked the government and jail authorities to file their status report before the next date of hearing.

“In the meantime, the state should place on record its reply,” it said.

The court had earlier issued notice to the government and jail authorities on Khokhar’s plea.

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 sought the court's direction to issue a direction to the authorities to release him from jail on first spell of furlough for 21 days to re-establish his social ties with his family members and in society.

Furlough is a temporary release from prison, not a suspension or remission of the entire sentence, and is typically granted to long-term inmates who have served a portion of their sentence.

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

The case dates back to November 1, 1984 when five Sikhs 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 the acquittal of Kumar.

Khokhar's appeal against the high court's verdict is currently pending before the Supreme Court.