The Special Investigation Team (SIT) which had to submit its status report concerning plea seeking action against Congress leader Kamal Nath for his alleged involvement in a case linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots has been given additional time by the Delhi High Court.
The bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma was apprised that in the petition filed by BJP’s Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the SIT which was established by the Union Home Ministry, is yet to file its status report.
The SIT was directed by the court on January 27, 2022, to furnish the status report on the plea.
On 6th February, during the hearing the SIT counsel said that they need to trace the relevant records for which they need an extension.The court then scheduled the matter for further hearing on April 23.
The case is that of Congress leader Kamal Nath refuting any involvement in the incident the violent mob attacking the Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in the city during the 1984 riots.
In his petition Sirsa has asked for direction for the SIT to take action against Nath in connection with the FIR lodged in 1984 at the Parliament Street police station.
It is important to note that there were about five individuals who were named as accused in the case and allegedly provided shelter at Nath’s residence.
The people named were discharged due to insufficient evidence, however Nath was not implicated in the FIR.
The SIT on September 2019, had decided to reopen seven cases related to the anti-Sikh riots,in cases where accused were acquitted or the trial was concluded.
Sirsa asserted that Nath who was earlier the former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, had helped 5 of the alleged accused.
The Home Ministry in its 2019 notification, had asked SIT to scrutinize and conducting preliminary inquiries into the discharged cases.
These seven cases were registered in 1984 at police stations in Vasant Vihar, Sun Light Colony, Kalyanpuri, Parliament Street, Connaught Place, Patel Nagar, and Shahdara.
On February 2015, the SIT was formed on the recommendation of the Home Ministry-appointed Justice (retd) G P Mathur committee, comprises two inspector general-rank IPS officers and a judicial officer.
The 1984 anti-Sikh riots erupted following the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.