Anti-Sikh Riots: Four Decades Later, Only 12 Murder Cases Result in Conviction

 

Sangbad Voice 9, New Delhi Bureau: In the somber shadow of history, it has been precisely forty years since the harrowing events of 1984 unfolded, claiming the lives of over 2,700 Sikhs in Delhi amidst widespread riots ignited by the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31 by her Sikh bodyguards. Astonishingly, a mere twelve murder cases have culminated in convictions.

Senior advocate H. S. Phoolka, who ardently represents the victims in Delhi, lamented, “The number of commissions and committees established to investigate these heinous murders far exceeds the number of convictions achieved.” Among these inquiries was the G. T. Nanavati Commission, instituted in 2005 under the aegis of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government. Its findings revealed that 587 FIRs were lodged in Delhi concerning the riots.

Of these, 241 cases have been classified as untraced, while 253 resulted in acquittals. The remaining cases present a disheartening tableau: 40 FIRs are still pending trial, one awaits investigation, eleven have been quashed, and in another eleven, the accused have been discharged. Additionally, three cases have been withdrawn. To date, a total of 27 cases have concluded with convictions, yet only 12 pertain specifically to murder.

Geographically, approximately one-fifth of these FIRs (108) were filed in South Delhi. East and Northeast Delhi followed closely with 98 and 96 FIRs, respectively. West and Northwest Delhi each recorded 66 FIRs, while North and Central Delhi had 39 and 46, respectively. Southwest Delhi accounted for another 51, and a scant 10 FIRs were registered in New Delhi. Furthermore, seven additional cases were categorized under ‘crime and railways.’

Phoolka asserted, “The sluggish pace of these proceedings can be attributed to a systemic shielding of the accused… those who executed orders were invariably protected.” In a parallel effort, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs on February 12, 2015, following a directive from the Centre to former Supreme Court Justice G. P. Mathur, urging a re-examination of the 1984 cases.