1984 Anti-Sikh Riots: Supreme Court Directs Re-Investigation Into 186 Cases by a New SIT

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed re-investigation into 186 cases of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that were closed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

New Delhi, Jan 10: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed re-investigation into 186 cases of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that were closed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). The apex court said that it will set up a three-member committee, headed by a retired High Court judge, for re-investigation of these 186 cases.

Besides a retired HC judge, the court said that the new SIT will also have a serving police officer and a retired DIG level police officer. The court will pass orders on Thursday regarding the names of retired and serving IPS officers who could be included in the three-member committee. This came after the court received a report on the SIT investigation of the 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases from two retired SC judges.

A total of 293 Sikh riot cases were entrusted to the SIT that was formed by Centre in 2014 to examine the necessity of further investigation into them.

The 1984 anti-Sikh riots were sparked by the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. Over 3,000 people were killed during the riots.

On August 16, 2017, the apex court had appointed the supervisory panel to examine the SIT’s decision to close 241 cases in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots matter and asked it to submit report in three months. The Centre had earlier told that out of the 250 cases which were investigated by the SIT, closure reports were filed in 241. It had said that nine cases were still being investigated by the SIT, while two cases are being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The court had in December 2017 taken on record the final report submitted by the supervisory body appointed by it and  had said it will examine it.