Anti-Sikh riots: SIT wraps up probe in 51 re-opened cases

Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 19

The government today informed that after scrutinising 293 cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Centre had re-opened 60 cases for re-investigation. But 51 of those have been closed due to lack of evidence and witnesses.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State (MoS) for Home Hansraj Ahir said that so far, the SIT has examined more than 1,000 witnesses in different states as part of its “further investigations”.

“Out of the re-opened cases, chargesheet has been filed in four cases, 51 cases have been closed after conducting further investigation and further investigation in five cases is under progress. The SIT has examined more than 1,000 witnesses in different states in the country,” the minister said.

The minister said there was no delay on the part of the SIT in completing the investigation. The records are very old and hence, after constant follow-up with different agencies, a large part of the records could be traced out.

“As the records are very old, these are also in very bad shape. Several records are in Urdu language and had to be translated. Several complainants and witnesses, who had to be examined, could be located with great difficulty as they had shifted their homes. Some migrated to foreign countries,” Ahir said.

The minister said SIT has published public notices in 11 leading newspapers on four occasions in Hindi, English and Punjabi in Delhi, Chandigarh and Punjab.

In these notices, SIT has requested individuals, group of persons, associations, institutions and organisations acquainted with the facts of the case to give evidence/depose about the same so as to facilitate further investigation.

The details of these cases were also uploaded on the website of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to give wide publicity. “The outcome of the investigation has been conveyed to the complainants or their legal heirs by the SIT. The progress of the work of the SIT is being monitored by the MHA on a regular basis,” the minister said.