1984 riots: HC seeks Centre's reply on plea by convict challenging legality of SIT

The Delhi High Court has sought the Centre's response on a plea by one of the convicts in 1984 anti-Sikh riots challenging the legality of the Home Ministry's order for setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to reprobe the cases.

A bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and I S Mehta issued notice to the Union of India through the Secretary of Ministry of Home Affairs and listed the matter for further hearing on September 30.

The legality of the SIT has been challenged by convict Yashpal Singh who was sentenced to death penalty by a trial court in a 1984 anti-Sikh riot case which was reopened by the SIT.

In his plea, he has claimed that the Executive cannot order re-investigation and it can only be done by the court's direction.

The court, in its order, said: "In view of the challenge mounted on behalf of Yashpal Singh to the legality and validity of the order dated February 12, 2015, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, it is considered proper and necessary to issue notice to the Union of India through the Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India."