SC asks Centre to give files of 199 closed cases

A TOTAL OF 293 CASES WERE TAKEN UP FOR SCRUTINY BY THE SIT AND IT HAS DECIDED TO CLOSE 199 OF THEM AFTER SCRUTINY

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Union government to place before it files pertaining to 199 cases of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots which the special investigation team (SIT), set up by the home ministry, has decided to close.

The SIT, formed by the home ministry in February 2015, has handled a total of 293 anti-Sikh riots related cases out of which it has decided to close 199 after scrutiny.

The three-member SIT has two inspector general-rank IPS officers and a judicial officer. The SIT has been constituted following a recommendation of a committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge justice GP Mathur (retd), which was set up to look into the possibility of re-investigation of the 1984 riots cases.

A bench headed by justice Dipak Misra said it intend to focus on the 199 cases in which the SIT has decide not to launch any prosecution. The bench, also comprising justice AM Khanwilkar and justice MM Shantanagoudar, gave three weeks time to the Centre to submit the records and put the case for further hearing on April 25.

Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi argued that in 262 cases, there was no trace of any victim or witness.

On the other hand, senior advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for petitioner S Gurlad Kahlon, argued that “there was no transparency in how the SIT was closing cases”. Datar contended that the SIT has filed only four chargesheets so far in connection with the anti-Sikh riots cases.

Datar said the SIT has completed preliminary inquiry in 28 cases and investigation in another 35 was at the initial state. Seven more cases were pending consideration by the SIT, he added.

Besides, 59 cases were taken up by the SIT for further investigation out of which it has decided to close 42 after investigation and remaining 17 are pending investigation, Datar said. At the outset, the bench asked the attorney general to set up a separate body to monitor the 1984 riots cases.

The attorney general said that a high-powered SIT was already looking into these cases and its tenure would last till August 11.

The 1984 anti-Sikh riots that broke out after assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had claimed 2,433 lives in Delhi alone.