The Supreme Court has stated that it will entrust nearly 186 anti-Sikh riot cases from 1984 to a new Special Investigation Team (SIT).
These cases have not yet been investigated by a Centre-appointed SIT, and will now be sent to a new SIT led by a retired high court judge for further investigation. The new SIT will have in addition to a retired HC judge, a serving police officer as well as a retired DIG-level police officer.
Nearly 3,000 people were massacred in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that were triggered by the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards.
The Centre-constituted SIT was set up in 2014, and entrusted with a total of 293 Sikh riot cases . That SIT had been asked to examine the necessity of further investigation into them.
Order Based On Report On Closed Cases
The top court passed this order after receiving a report from two retired SC judges on the SIT investigation into the 1984 Sikh riot cases.
The SC also admitted into record earlier this month the final report that was submitted by a supervisory body that had been appointed by it to examine the closing of 241 riot cases from 1984.
In August last year, the apex court had appointed a supervisory panel to review the SIT’s decision to close 241 cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, and asked it to submit its report in three months’ time.
In its previous statements, the Centre had stated of the 250 cases investigated by the SIT, closure reports had been filed for 241.
