NEW DELHI: A day after Arvind Kejriwal put anti-Sikh riots cases back in spotlight by his call for an SIT, the Delhi high court also turned up the heat. While hearing the bail application and appeal of convict Balwan Khokhar, a former MLA, a division bench of Justice P K Bhasin and Justice J R Midha broadened its intervention by directing the CBI to furnish comprehensive information on progress made till now.
The bench told CBI's counsel to file a chart of total cases lodged in the anti-Sikh riots, including those that were closed by the Delhi Police for want of evidence. The court also wants to know how many have been convicted in the riots and how many cases have resulted in acquittals.
HC also interrogated the CBI on why appeals were not filed in cases where trial courts acquitted some of the accused. In response, the CBI's counsel clarified investigating agency in those cases was Delhi Police not the CBI.
HC also clubbed all appeals relating to a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case directed against Congress leader Sajjan Kumar's acquittal. "We will order requisition of all the case files. We feel that the files of all the convicted appellants be placed before us," the bench directed.
Apart from Khokhar's bail, the bench is also hearing his appeal against conviction by the trial court awarding him life imprisonment for murder. HC asked Tihar Jail superintendent to inform it on the time spent by Khokhar inside the prison, and posted the matter for hearing on March 12. Besides Khokhar, Girdhari Lal and Captain Bhagmal were also awarded life imprisonment for the offence of murder. While Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokkar were convicted only for the offence of rioting in a case where Sajjan Kumar, a former MP from Outer Delhi parliamentary seat, was acquitted for want of evidence.
Source Link: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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