SIT set up for re-investigation into 1984 anti-Sikh riots

A Special Investigation Team was set up by the government today for fresh investigation into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases in Delhi and some other states.

An order on setting up of the SIT was issued by the Union Home Ministry this evening, official sources said.

The team will submit its report within six months. The three-member SIT will have two Inspector General rank IPS officers and a judicial officer. However, the names are yet to be announced by the government.

The SIT has been constituted following a recommendation of a committee, headed by former Supreme Court Judge Justice (retd) G P Mathur, which was set up to look into the possibility of re-investigation of the 1984 riots cases.

The committee submitted its report to Home Minister Rajnath Singh last month recommending setting up of SIT for a fresh probe into the riots that followed the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

3,325 people were killed in the riots. Of them, Delhi alone accounted for 2,733 and the rest were killed in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states. BJP had earlier demanded re-investigation into all anti-Sikh riot cases.

The Justice Nanavati Commission had recommended reopening of only four of the 241 cases closed by police but BJP wanted the re-investigation of all the other 237 cases. However, it was not immediately clear as to how many anti-Sikh riot cases have been recommended for reopening by the Justice Mathur committee.

Of the 241 related cases, only four were reopened and re-investigated by CBI. In two of the cases, CBI had filed a charge sheet and in one of the cases five persons, including a former MLA, were convicted.

On December 10, 2014, the government had approved a proposal to give an additional compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The compensation to the families of the riot victims will be in addition to what they have already received from the government and other agencies. The fresh compensation will cost the exchequer Rs 166 crore.