The culprits should be punished for their crimes, said Phoolka, representing victims in 1984 riots cases for free — for 34 years. The culprits should be punished for their crimes, said Phoolka, representing victims in 1984 riots cases for free — for 34 years.

Maintaining that Congress leader and Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath was also present near Gurdwara Rakab Ganj when it was attacked by a mob on November 1, 1984, senior advocate H S Phoolka, who is fighting the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases, on Monday said they are “legally exploring how to go with Kamal Nath’s case”.

The culprits should be punished for their crimes, said Phoolka, representing victims in 1984 riots cases for free — for 34 years.

Kamal Nath has denied his involvement in the incident and said he is being targeted for political reasons. “I took oath in 1991 and later many times. There is no case, no chargesheet against me. I was even (Congress party’s) in-charge of Delhi but no one talked about it,” Nath said in Bhopal on Monday when asked about his alleged involvement in the 1984 Sikh massacre.

An emotional Phoolka, who broke down in courtroom 3 of Delhi High Court the moment the bench announced the guilty verdict against Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 riots case on Monday, said, “It has been 34 years…I have been waiting to hear this. It’s a huge victory. I was 28 when I took up the case.”

Tears welling up his eyes, Phoolka recalled that he had filed the first case in December 1984. While admitting that it was a difficult journey, and it is “not so easy to catch powerful people”, he said it was a cause he had taken up, and he was “prepared” for a long battle.

“This moment has come after 34 years. We are very happy, but others culprits also need to be punished,” he said. Phoolka said more than a thousand people were involved in crimes during the anti-Sikh riots, but all could not be booked due to the failure of Delhi Police.

The 73-year-old also said he has filed a caveat petition before the Supreme court, apprehending that Sajjan Kumar will challenge the High Court verdict.

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