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The Supreme Court of India on Monday expressed concern over the failure of investigating agencies to file appeals in cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, despite explicit recommendations from a committee.
The bench also directed the Centre to clarify why all orders of acquittal and dismissal were not challenged in appellate courts. The Court noted submissions made by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre and the Delhi Police, who informed the Court that trials in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots were conducted in a manner that resulted in acquittals rather than convictions. A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan asked the Centre to provide details on why cases dismissed by the Delhi High Court due to delays were not challenged via Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) in the Supreme Court. The bench adjourned the matter to February 3, 2025, noting that the status report filed by the Centre had not been placed on record and expressing a desire to review it first. The bench was hearing a plea filed by Gurlad Singh Kahlon, in which the Supreme Court had, in January 2018, ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Justice SN. Dhingra to re-examine 186 reopened cases of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The petitioners were represented by advocates Amarjeet Singh Bedi (AOR) and Gaganmeet Singh Sachdeva. In the last hearing, the Supreme Court had directed the Central Government to file a status report on the ongoing trials concerning the 1984 anti-Sikh riots within two weeks. However, the petitioners' counsel raised several concerns about the handling of the investigations, pointing to significant flaws in the SIT report. One major issue highlighted was the bundling of 500 separate cases into a single FIR, making it practically impossible for the investigating officer to properly probe each case. The counsel further explained that in many instances, as many as 498 cases were clubbed together under one FIR, causing confusion and delays in investigations. The counsel also pointed out that while the focus seemed to be on incidents in Delhi, no substantial action had been taken for violence in other states. They cited examples of Kanpur and Bokaro, where the situation remains unresolved. The violence that followed the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984 led to widespread attacks on the Sikh community, particularly in Delhi, where large-scale killings took place. Despite efforts like the establishment of the SIT, the continuing struggle for justice has seen little progress over the years. In May 2023, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a chargesheet against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, accusing him of involvement in the killings of three individuals on November 1, 1984. This further highlights the ongoing pursuit of justice for the victims of the 1984 riots. (ANI)
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