Ludhiana, March 7, 2014: The AAP candidate for Ludhiana parliamentary seat and senior lawyer, HS Phoolka has said the statement of Chief Minister Punjab, Prakash Singh Badal in the Punjab Assembly demanding setting up of a Special Court headed by a SC judge to look into the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots cases is highly surprising.
In a statement here today, he added unfortunately, the demand has been made without any thought going into it whatsoever. A Special Court is constituted for trial of cases and is headed by a Sessions Judge. For constituting a Special Court, an Act needs to be passed by the Parliament or the Assembly. Both the Parliament as well as the Delhi Assembly are suspended. Hence, no such Act can be possibly passed in the near future.
Moreover, as of now, only 3 cases are pending trial. It is highly illogical that a demand of a Special Court is being made to try only 3 cases, he asked.
Phoolka said unless, reinvestigation is done, cases cannot be reopened. Thus the demand is rather baseless. 237 FIR’s have been closed by the police. To reopen these cases, the Kejriwal Government had recommended formation of the SIT. Ironically, the Akali Dal opposed the same. What is needed the most is reopening of these 237 cases wrongly closed and reinvestigation done in these, he said, adding then only can cases go to trial.
Further, he said on one hand the Akali Dal opposes a genuine demand to reopen cases which would go a long way in bringing the perpetrators to book, and on the other hand they are raising a groundless demand of a Special Court.
Date:
Friday, March 7, 2014