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Sajjan Kumar goes 'missing'; PSO suspended

February 25, 2010 12:06 IST

Former Congress Member of Parliament Sajjan Kumar, whom the Central Bureau of Investigation has failed to arrest despite a non-bailable warrant against him in connection with the anti-Sikh riots cases, has been 'missing' for the past one week.

His Personal Security Officer, Delhi Police Constable Ram Niroha, has been suspended.

Niroha, posted as the PSO of the Congress leader and Z+ category protectee, had approached the Security Wing on February 19, informing them that Kumar had gone missing.

Sources said Niroha, posted with the Security Wing, was suspended from service and a probe is on to establish the veracity of his claims. Police has stationed a patrol van outside Kumar's residence in Madipur. His brother Ramesh Kumar is the member of parliament from South Delhi constituency.

"It seems Kumar has gone underground to evade arrest," a senior police official said.

Kumar could not be contacted for comments. His lawyer had earlier told the court that the Congress leader was not running away, he was exploring all statutory remedies available to him by approaching a higher court.

The CBI had on February 23 informed the court that they could not arrest Kumar as he could not be located, prompting the judge to slam the investigating agency for "not being serious in apprehending" the Congress leader.

The CBI had on January 13 charge-sheeted Kumar in two separate cases of allegedly making provocative speeches, leading to the killings of 12 persons in the riots in 1984, following Indira Gandhi's assassination by her Sikh bodyguards.

The court had issued non-bailable warrants against him. The CBI, which arrested only one out of 12 accused, claimed that it conducted raids at Kumar's residence four times after the warrant was issued against him on February 17, but failed to apprehend him.

It also asked the court to declare the former MP and other accused as absconders. Kumar has an armed guard on vigil at his house round-the-clock, a PSO always accompanying him and an escort vehicle whenever he steps out.  

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