US court reserves decision in anti-Sikh riots case against Sonia

A United States federal appeals court in New York has reserved the decision in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case against Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals heard the oral arguments on whether the lawsuit against Gandhi would be allowed to proceed as appealed by Sikh human rights group Sikhs For Justice or the United States district court's order of dismissal will be affirmed.

Judge Jose Cabranes, Reena Raggi and Richard Wesley of 2nd Circuit in Manhattan heard the arguments and reserved the decision.

In June 2014, a federal judge had dismissed the lawsuit against Gandhi ruling that the Congress president is not liable under Torture Victims Protection Act.

A class action suit was filed by US based rights group SFJ and victims against Gandhi for allegedly shielding and protecting Congress party leaders who organised violence against Sikhs in November 1984.


Image: Congress chief Sonia Gandhi