Govt sets up SIT to probe 1984 anti-Sikh riots afresh

Acting on the Justice G P Mathur committee recommendations, the Union Home Ministry on Thursday formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the 1984 Delhi anti-Sikh riots afresh.

The SIT will be chaired by Pramod Ashthana, an IPS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre. It willa also have two Inspector General (IG) level officers. A senior official said the team will have six months to submit its report. “The SIT will file charge sheet against the accused in the proper court where after investigation sufficient evidence is found available,” an official statement said.

The decision to revisit the case, which Delhi police had closed even before it could reach the courts, was made following the recommendations of the committee formed under retired judge Mathur in December.

 The committee had called for fresh probes in at least 225 cases which police closed despite having evidence. These included cases against Congress leaders Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler.

Police have closed nearly half of the 587 cases registered after the riots, claiming that they could not locate the accused.