Supreme Court Fast-Tracks 1984 Kanpur Anti-Sikh Riot Cases

The Supreme Court has ordered an expedited trial for 11 Kanpur anti-Sikh riot cases from the 1984 riots, highlighting previous delays. Efforts are being made to decipher an illegible FIR, and special public prosecutors are involved. Accused individuals had previously obtained a stay, now lifted, to hasten justice.

The Supreme Court on Monday mandated a swift trial for 11 cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, citing significant delays. The cases were re-investigated, and chargesheets filed. A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh instructed special public prosecutors to ensure timely court appearances.

Central to the proceedings is an illegible 40-year-old FIR, now being reconstructed by the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL). The court urged CFSL to expedite this process to facilitate justice. Measures are also in place to help victims engage legal counsel in situations of financial difficulty, with the UP State Legal Services Authority stepping in as needed.

The Supreme Court's directive aims at revisiting the violence that led to the deaths of approximately 130 Sikhs. Previously, some accused had secured a stay from the high court, now countermanded to enable the trial's progression. Special prosecutors Kamlesh Kumar Pathak and Ranjeet Singh have been appointed to harness legal efforts in these cases.

(With inputs from agencies.)