Akali Dal cries foul as case file of murder of 63 Sikhs goes missing

SAD has raised a red flag as the case file pertaining to the death of 63 Sikhs in the Kalyanpuri area of the national capital during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots has gone missing from the Delhi government’s home department.

The Delhi Unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has raised a red flag as the case file pertaining to the death of 63 Sikhs in the Kalyanpuri area of the national capital during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots has gone missing from the Delhi government’s home department.

Vehicles set on fire by a mob during a protest over the alleged illegal slaughter of cattle, in Bulandshahr. According to Additional Director General of Meerut zone Prashant Kumar, protesters from Mahaw village and nearby areas pelted stones on the police and indulged in arson setting several vehicles and the Chingarwathi Police Chowki on fire. (PTI)

After repeated reminders by the special investigation team (SIT) set up by the Centre, the prosecution wing of the Delhi government replied “no record is available”.

In January this year, the SIT wrote to the principal secretary, home, Delhi government, that they be sent the photocopies of the case file for further probe.

On March 29, 2017, the SIT sent a confidential report to Pankaj Sanghi, director of prosecution, Delhi government, with a copy marked to Delhi Police chief Amulya Patnaik and Praveen Kumar Srivastava, joint secretary, ministry of home affairs, pertaining to the murder of 63 Sikhs during the riots, in which the state did not file any application for “alteration of charge” or “appeal” against the judgment, which acquitted the accused.

“But there was no response from Delhi government,” said Manjit Singh GK, President of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), who is also the president of the Delhi unit of the SAD.

Calling it mala fide on part of the Arvind Kejriwal government to support the Gandhi family, he said officials saying “no record available” could mean either the FIR was misplaced or it had been weeded out - where unnecessary files are removed from active records.

In a letter to the Delhi government’s prosecution wing in August, the SIT wrote: “The subject is related to the murder of 63 persons in Kalyanpuri. After investigation, a chargesheet was filed against 17 accused under Section 302 of the IPC for the murder of 63 persons. However, from available records with the SIT, it appears that during the trial, charges were framed against accused in respect of only five deaths. The case ended in acquittal. It appears no application for alteration of charge or appeal against the judgment of the sessions court was filed”.

An advocate of the DSGMC contesting the riots cases, said: “The SIT can’t interfere in the court’s judgment but the prosecution wing of the Delhi government can file an appeal. But it is not willing to open the case,” he alleged.

Read | Akali Dal MLA assaults 1984 riots convict in court, says acted in self-defence