An interesting turn of event is expected next week in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases with the Supreme Court expected to deal with a report prepared by two former apex court judges on the scope of reopening 241 cases where investigation was closed at the instance of the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
A Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra on Wednesday asked the counsel for the riot victims Amarjeet Bedi and Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Pinky Anand appearing for the Centre to be present in Court on December 11 when the sealed cover report of the Supervisory Committee comprising Justice (Retd) JM Panchal and Justice (Retd) KS Radhakrishnan will be opened. The Court was hearing a PIl filed by riot victims.
The Bench, also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, said, “It’s extremely important matter and must be taken seriously.”
The Bench said that if the Supervisory Committee recommends reopening of any case, it will direct the SIT to go by it.
“We will examine if the Committee has found any material on record to justify reopening of investigation. If they say there is something, we will direct prosecution,” said the Bench.
The riot victims had approached the Court against the decision of SIT after 241 cases were closed for want of material out of 250 cases. The three-member SIT is headed by Pramod Asthana, an IPS officer of 1986 batch, along with Rakesh Kapoor, a retired district and sessions judge and Kumar Gyanesh, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Police.
On August 16 this year, the Court appointed the Committee to examine the 241 cases and submit report in three months. Nine cases are still being investigated by the SIT while two cases are being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.