SC defers hearing on reopening of ’84 anti-Sikh riots cases

The Supreme Court on Monday deferred the hearing on reopening of cases relating to 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi as papers were not in order.

As ordered by the Supreme Court on December 20, the Delhi Police filed a fresh status report on the implementation of the report of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Justice (Retd) SN Dhingra on the investigation into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases. The Delhi Police status report talked about eight cases in which appeals were filed as recommended by the Dhingra Committee, but the same were dismissed by the Delhi High Court. At least in two cases the appeals against the high court’s order were also rejected by the top court, it said.

However, petitioner Gurlad Singh Kahlon alleged that the SIT report has been dealt with “complete lack of seriousness and in a casual manner” and that the Delhi Police merely filed statutory appeals against acquittals and the same were dismissed on the ground of delay.

On Monday, senior counsel HS Phoola submitted a tabulated chart based on the SIT report on behalf of the petitioner to highlight the inaction on the part of the Delhi Police. Dhingra said while the murder of six persons was never investigated and no action was taken in at least two cases, in one case no SLP (special leave petition) was filed against dismissal of a case. He said the SHO who allegedly took away licensed guns of Sikhs and made a gesture to the mob to attack Sikhs was promoted to the rank of ACP.

The Additional Solicitor General told the Bench that the Delhi Police have filed a fresh status report as directed by the court on December 20.

The Bench led by AS Oka deferred the hearing as the papers were not in order and it needed to peruse the documents filed by the parties.

On the last date of hearing, Phoolka and advocate Amarjit Bedi had pointed out that there were some glaring instances in the SIT report and said 500 cases were clubbed in one FIR and the investigating officer could not probe them.