1984 SIKH GENOCIDE
NEW YORK, NY - A day after securing orders from a US Federal Judge that summons issued by a US court on September 3 for Sonia Gandhi could be served through hospital staff or through the security agents protecting her - rights group, Sikhs for Justice, claimed that summons had been served through hospital and security staff at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said that on September 9, the summons and complaint were served to the hospital and security staff of Sloan-Kettering amidst heavy commotion and resistance from the staff. "Ester Ruiz, the night shift nursing supervisor at the Sloan-Kettering was handed a copy of the summons, complaint and Judge Cogan's order directing her to give the documents to Sonia Gandhi. A copy of the summons was also handed to Alvin Millner, the security manager at Sloan-Kettering for delivery of the same to Congress president," Pannun said in a communique from US.
SFJ held that that the serving of US court summons on Sonia Gandhi was complete for all purposes, because Judge Cogan had allowed serving hospital and security staff of Sloan-Kettering instead of personally handing over the summons to Sonia Gandhi.
Pannun held that as per federal rules after the serving of summons and complaint, Sonia Gandhi would have time till September 30 (21 days) to answer the allegations of protecting and shielding Congress leaders who participated in attacks on Sikhs in 1984. The September 3 summons state that if defendant Sonia Gandhi failed to respond within 21 days after the serving, a default judgment will be entered against her.
Earlier, US Federal Judge Brain M Cogan, ordered the serving of summons and complaint to Congress president Sonia Gandhi through hospital staff or security personnel of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
In the lawsuit filed against Sonia Gandhi, SFJ and victims are seeking compensatory and punitive damages against the Congress party president for her role in shielding and protecting Kamal Nath, Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Tytler and other Congress party leaders from being prosecuted for their crimes against humanity.
