By IANS,
New York : A US court has set June 27 to hear Indian National Congress party’s plea to dismiss or stay proceedings in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case on the ground that the statute of limitation had expired.
Judge Robert Sweet of New York’s southern district issued the order after the Congress party’s lawyers argued that claims filed by the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a Sikh community organisation, are “time-barred because they complain about alleged activities that occurred more than twenty-five years ago; all statutes of limitations have long expired.”
Congress party treasurer Motilal Vora also gave an affidavit to the US Court in support of the motion to dismiss the complaint on the ground that “no summons and complaint from the New York Litigation was delivered to the Indian National Congress Party in accordance with the Hague Service Convention”.
The party had earlier challenged the jurisdiction of the US Federal Court to hear the case.
SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said the plaintiffs will request the court to deny the motion because despite having knowledge of the law suit and having ample opportunities to raise these issues, Congress party chose not to respond and has thus waived all the defences.