Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar Dies at 80

Former Indian National Congress MP Sajjan Kumar died at the age of 80 on 20 August 2026. He was serving a life sentence in connection with cases linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. He had represented the Outer Delhi constituency in the Lok Sabha three times.

Sajjan Kumar and Parliamentary Career

Sajjan Kumar served as a Lok Sabha MP from Outer Delhi in 1980, 1991 and 2004. The Lok Sabha is the lower House of Parliament of India and its members are elected from parliamentary constituencies.

Convictions and Sentences

On 17 December 2018, the Delhi High Court sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment for his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The case involved the murder of five Sikhs and the burning of a gurdwara in Raj Nagar area of Delhi Cantonment. On 25 February 2025, a Delhi court led by Special Judge Kaveri Baweja awarded him a second concurrent life sentence in another riot-related case.

Medical and Custodial Details

Kumar was brought from Tihar Jail to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi on 20 August 2026 and was declared brought dead on arrival. Hospital authorities did not immediately state the official cause of death.

Important Facts for Exams

• The 1984 anti-Sikh riots followed the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 31 October 1984.
• The Delhi High Court is the highest court for the National Capital Territory of Delhi and hears appeals from lower courts in Delhi.
• Tihar Jail is one of the largest prison complexes in India and is located in Delhi.
• The Lok Sabha has a maximum strength of 552 members under the Constitution of India.

Related Constitutional and Legal Context

Life imprisonment in India is a criminal sentence under the Indian Penal Code and related special laws. Riot-related prosecutions in India often involve charges of murder, unlawful assembly and arson under criminal law provisions.