Re-investigate 1984 anti-Sikh riots, says Delhi Court

New Delhi: A Delhi court has directed the chairperson of an SIT to re-investigate the 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases to explain why further investigation was carried out in a case while the mandate was to re-visit the facts.

Additional chief metropolitan magistrate Ajay Singh Shekhawat said the reply filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) chairperson on interpretation of the expression “investigation/re-investigation as per the mandate given to the SIT” was unsatisfactory.

“In these circumstances, let the court notice (be issued) to Anurag, the chairperson SIT, to appear in person in order to clarify as to why only further investigation was carried out despite the SIT's mandate to investigate/ re-investigate the facts?” the court asked.

Listing the matter for September 13 for clarifications, the court passed an order in the 1984 riots case in which the SIT filed a closure report on the grounds that no incriminating direct or circumstantial evidence was available against any person and further probe into the case has been closed.

According to the prosecution, the case relates to an incident of November 3, 1984, when a mob of around 300 to 400 people started pelting stones on a 50-year-old Sikh man in a factory premises in west Delhi's Anand Parbat. 

The victim fell down after which a policeman, who was patrolling the area, fired from his service revolver in the air to disperse the mob. The injured man, identified as Ajayab Singh, was rushed to the hospital where he was declared brought dead by doctors.