Amnesty: No chargesheet against anyone by SIT in 1984 Sikh genocide cases

NEW DELHI : As per an information revealed by the Ministry of Home Affairs on the request of Amnesty International India, the Special Investigation Team has remained unsuccessful in filing charge sheet against even a single culprit of the 1984 Sikh Genocide. It is notable that the Special Investigation Team was constituted on February 12, 2015 by the Union Government of India to probe closed cases of 1984 Sikh genocide. Initially, the validity of the SIT was of six years but later in August 2015 it was extended for one more year. The SIT comprises of a retired Judge and two senior Police officials.As per the information available from reliable sources, the Amnesty International India had firstly requested information under Right to Information Act about reasons behind extension of validity of SIT. The Ministry of Home Affairs had denied sharing it by excusing of not in the jurisdiction of RTI. Later in reply to another RTI request lodged by Amnesty International India in December-2015, the Ministry of Home Affairs disclosed that the SIT was probing 18 closed cases and 34 other files of cases investigated by another commission in 1990. It also disclosed that the SIT didn’t lodge charge sheet against any one till now. However, the Ministry of Home Affairs denied sharing the progress report about the working of SIT.It is being speculated by the Sikh bodies that Sikhs will lose the last chance of getting justice in 1984 Sikh Genocide cases due to lack of transparency in working of the Special Investigation Team. It may be recalled here that more than 3000 Sikhs were heinously killed by the Hindu mobs in November-1984 in Delhi following the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indra Gandhi. Culprits responsible for massacring the Sikhs in Delhi have been enjoying political shadow since then.