’84 RIOTS: SIT CLOSES 51 OF 60 REOPENED CASES
CHARGESHEETS IN JUST FOUR CASES SIT, formed by the government in 2015, has scrutinised records of 293 cases and examined more than 1,000 witnesses across the country
NEWDELHI: A special investigation team (SIT) appointed by the Union home ministry has again closed probes into 51 of the 60 cases it had re-opened in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Disclosing this in a written reply before the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, the government said five of the remaining cases are still under investigation. ››
NEWDELHI: As many as 51 out of 60 ‘reopened’ cases of the 1984 antiSikh riots have been closed again by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Union home ministry.
The government informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that in the remaining cases, the SIT has filed charge-sheets in four and five other cases are still being probed.
The government on February 12, 2015, had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe or re-investigate the serious cases, which were filed in Delhi in connection with the riots. More than 3,000 people, mostly Sikhs, were killed in the riots, following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.
Delhi alone accounted for 2,733 killings. In all, 650 cases were registered in connection with riots but the Delhi police closed around 240 cases, claiming no evidence. The SIT was asked to re-look into all these cases for further probe.
Minister of state for home Hanraj Ahir informed the Upper House on Wednesday that the SIT has scrutinised records of 293 cases and examined more than 1,000 witnesses in different states.
“After scrutiny of the records, a total number of 60 cases were reopened for further investigation. Of these 60 cases, charge sheet has been filed in four cases, 51 have been closed and further investigation in five cases is under progress,” said Ahir.
The reply did not give details
of number of accused chargesheeted in the four cases where the probe has been closed. Ahir clarified that there is no delay on the part of the SIT in completing the investigation. “As the records are very old, they are in very bad shape. Several records are in Urdu language, which had to be translated,” said Ahir.