1984 Anti-Sikh Riots: Supreme Court Seeks Updated Trial Report

The Supreme Court has ordered the Center to submit a new status report concerning the trials related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Justice Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih requested an affidavit from the additional solicitor general, while permitting petitioners to present detailed objections. The case remains complex with recently filed charges against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler.

The Supreme Court on Friday issued a directive to the Central government to deliver an updated status report within two weeks on the ongoing trials from the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

A judicial bench, including Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih, instructed additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati to submit an affidavit and allowed petitioners to submit detailed objections.

During proceedings, Bhati confirmed the completion of recommendations by the special investigation team (SIT) established by the court. Petitioners' counsel highlighted inconsistencies in the report, noting that 500 cases were improperly grouped into a single FIR, impeding thorough investigation by the officers. Instances extending beyond Delhi, such as Kanpur and Bokaro, were cited as being overlooked. The court committed to a comprehensive examination of these aspects. Nearly 40 years post-incident, trials related to the massacre of Sikhs post-Indira Gandhi's assassination continue to reveal dramatic judicial developments. While cases have been reopened and some political figures are being held accountable, the victims' quest for justice stretches on. Data from the Nanavati Commission reveal that 587 FIRs were filed concerning the 1984 riots, which claimed 2,733 lives in Delhi. Of these, 240 cases remain 'untraced', and approximately 250 led to acquittals. In May 2023, the CBI charged Congress leader Jagdish Tytler for inciting violence that resulted in the deaths of three individuals in the national capital on November 1, 1984.

(With inputs from agencies.)