1984 anti-sikh riots: HC upholds conviction, 5-yr jail term of 70 rioters

The Delhi High Court Wednesday upheld the conviction of 70 out of the 89 people who were awarded five-year jail term by a trial court for rioting, burning houses and violation of curfew during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Of the remaining 19 people, 16 died during the pendency of their appeals against the trial court's August 27, 1996 decision.

The appeals of the three others were dismissed after they absconded, the high court noted in its judgement.

Justice R K Gauba, while dismissing the 22-year-old appeals, asked the convicts to surrender forthwith to serve their remaining prison terms for rioting, looting and burning houses in various residential blocks in Trilok Puri between October 31 and November 3 in 1984 after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards. Around 3,000 people died during the anti-Sikh riots.

The court noted that the 1984 anti-Sikh riots were a "dark chapter" in the history of independent India as the "law and order machinery had broken down".

It said: "The police forces, and the civil administration, did not take timely or effective action to prevent the riotous conditions from spiralling out of hand. The criminal law process began, but hesitatingly and belatedly.

"The fact that these cases have continued to linger in the courts at the stage of trial or appeals or revisions till date itself is an indicator of the reality that the response of the law has been tardy, ineffective and highly unsatisfactory."