7 yrs on, SIT wants to close 986 cases of violence during Jat stir in Haryana

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Chandigarh, July 24

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) looking into the Jat agitation violence of February 2016 wants to withdraw 986 of 1,205 cases entrusted to it, taking seven long years to arrive at the conclusion.

ADGP Amitabh Singh Dhillon-led SIT was formed in August 2017 on the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Other members of the SIT are AIG Manisha Choudhary and SPs Waseem Akram, Ganga Ram Punia and Mohit Handa.

The SIT was entrusted with the cases where the investigation was incomplete or an untraced report had been prepared but not submitted before the court. The cases were allocated to each SP, who further chose their investigation team with a DSP as a nodal officer.

Sources in the police said the SIT wanted to close the majority of cases as it emerged that several victims of rioting and violence were unaware of the identity of suspects. Photographs of suspects were circulated through police websites and stations, and the Haryana Police also announced awards, but to no avail.

In cases of looting, the victims couldn’t provide bills for stolen electronic items like phones, laptops or computers. The IMEI numbers/MAC addresses couldn’t be traced. Sources added that even the tower dump of mobile numbers at the agitation sites also remained unfruitful as the SIT couldn’t cross-check the alibi of subscribers of those numbers. Several hundred users of mobile numbers, however, were examined during investigations.

By February this year, the SIT could file chargesheets in just nine cases involving 34 accused, though 110 cases were still under investigation. However, the final decision on the closure of cases will be taken by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Rohtak was the hotbed of violence during the Jat agitation, where incidents occurred at Kalanaur market, Sheela Bypass Chowk, Delhi Road, Sukhpura Chowk, D-Park, Medical Mod, Ashok Chowk, Skytech Mall, and Rajiv Chowk. Many accused refused polygraph and brain mapping tests during SIT probes.

A case regarding the looting of weapons from the Meham police station (Rohtak) and setting it on fire was registered on February 20, 2016. These weapons were deposited by owners due to the panchayat elections in 2016. One of the stolen revolvers was later recovered from criminals in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, and another was allegedly found to be used in the robbery of a cash van in Gujarat. The SIT arrested the main accused in the case, Manoj Numberdar, who led the mob to the police station, in 2023.

There are four cases that the CBI had investigated and filed chargesheets for, including the burning of the residence of former Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu and the assault and looting of weapons from the company of BSF and Haryana Police by rioters. Dhillon could not be contacted for comments.

Not much headway

• Sources said the SIT wanted to close the majority of cases as several victims were unaware of the identity of suspects
• Also, despite the circulation of suspects’ photos and announcement of awards, the police haven’t had much success
• In cases of looting, the victims couldn’t provide bills for stolen electronic items such as mobile phones, laptops or computers