1984 Anti-Sikh Riots: Supreme Court to Hear Delhi Police’s Pleas Against Acquittals on August 26
Court to hear Delhi Police’s SLPs and Kahlon’s plea on Aug 26 over acquittals in 1984 anti-Sikh riots; petitioner cites SIT, Dhingra Panel findings on sham trials, derailed probes;
The Supreme Court on Monday said it would hear six Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) filed by the Delhi Police challenging the acquittal of accused persons in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
The Court will also hear a writ petition by S. Gurlad Singh Kahlon seeking the implementation of the Justice S.N. Dhingra Committee's recommendations. The said Committee was constituted by the Apex Court in 2018. It submitted its report in January 2020, revealing that the investigation into several riot cases had been derailed. The Committee had then recommended filing appeals against the acquittals.
A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta posted the matter for hearing on August 26.
The Counsel appearing for petitioner S. Gurlad Singh Kahlon, a former member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), reminded the Court that in February 2018, it had constituted a new Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the riots cases afresh.
He said the SIT's report had exposed how “sham trials” were conducted, and urged the bench to allow him to place those observations on record.
Justice Nath remarked that the matter would require some time and agreed to hear it in detail on a Tuesday.
Appearing for the State, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati informed the Court that six SLPs had been filed by the Delhi Police after the High Court dismissed the writ petitions on the ground of delay and not on merits.
She also noted that the May 6 order had required soft copies of the pleadings to be served to all parties, which had not yet been done.
“These are very old cases dating back to 1984,” Bhati said, requesting the matters be taken up together.
The Court directed that the cases be listed for hearing on August 26.
Previously
On May 5, the Supreme Court had directed, "Call for the soft copy of the record of the trial court. Registrar to provide the soft copy to counsel appearing for the parties. We direct the petitioner to place on record a compilation of notes of evidence. Notice is made returnable on the 21st of July."
Earlier, the Supreme Court had asked Delhi Police to file the remaining Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) in acquittal concerning the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Anti-Sikh riots broke out across the country following the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards, which led to widespread attacks on the Sikh community.
Case Title: S Gurlad Singh Kahlon v. Union of India and connected matters
Hearing Date: July 21, 2025
Bench: Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta