1984 riots: AAP government expected to decide on Special Investigation Team today

New Delhi: The Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi is expected to decide today on forming a Special Investigation Team or SIT to probe the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that followed the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards.

Last week, Mr Kejriwal discussed the matter with Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, whose approval is required for the constitution of the SIT. (Op-ed: Why AAP wants SIT for 1984 riots)

The SIT will, in a time-bound manner, look into why 600 First Information Reports or FIRs were registered in the 1984 violence of which 241 were reportedly closed by the police.

The SIT will also inquire into allegations of evidence ignored by the police and expedite the process in cases where chargesheets were not filed despite sufficient evidence.

The Chief Minister's demand is set to further strain ties between his Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress, which provides external support to it.

On Tuesday, a former CBI joint director told NDTV that the investigating agency may have come under pressure to give a clean chit to Jagdish Tytler, one of the Congress leaders accused of inciting violence in 1984. (Read)

An SIT probe is part of the AAP's election manifesto, but Mr Kejriwal brought up the issue only two days after Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, in a television interview, drew a distinction between the Narendra Modi government's handling of the 2002 Gujarat riots and the 1984 riots in Delhi. Mr Gandhi had said the Congress government tried to stop the violence in Delhi, while Mr Modi "abetted it" in Gujarat.

Following the interview, a Sikh rights group, that has filed cases on human rights violations in the 1984 riots  against Congress party and its leader Sonia Gandhi, said it will subpoena Rahul Gandhi before a US court as a witness. (Read)