US court reserves order in anti-Sikh riots case

Jones Day,the law firm representing the political party,had on July 13 filed a motion to dismiss all the charges against Congress saying the party was not served the court summons properly by SFJ and that the US federal court did not have jurisdiction to hear the case.

Challenging Congress8217;s motion,SFJ submitted a 28-page memorandum claiming that victims of the November 1984 anti-Sikh riots had served the summons on the Congress in a proper way and that the US court has personal jurisdiction to hear the claims under Alien Tort Statute ATS and Torture Victim Protection Act TVPA.

SFJ submitted documentary evidence to Sweet showing that Congress President Sonia Gandhi was served summons at the party8217;s headquarters in New Delhi.

SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said the motion has sought a trial calendar in the case arguing that victims have made a prima facie claim showing that the US Court has personal jurisdiction over the Congress party.

A class action lawsuit was filed in March last year by SFJ under the Alien Tort Statute ATS and Torture Victim Protection Act TVPA against Congress for conspiring,abetting and carrying out attacks against Sikhs in India in November 1984.