Seized Manuscripts still untraced since 1984: HC asks Centre, CBI to account for missing Sikh Reference Library Material

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has turned the spotlight back on a decades-old mystery arising out of Operation Blue Star, seeking answers on what became of the manuscripts and sacred items removed from the Golden Temple complex. Acting on a public interest plea, the Court has now called upon the Centre, the Ministry of Defence, and the Central Bureau of Investigation to clarify whether these historically significant items, some of which were never returned, are still in their possession, reopening questions that have remained unresolved for nearly forty years.

The public interest petition, pending since 2019, centres on items taken from the Sikh Reference Library within the Golden Temple complex during the 1984 military operation. The petitioner claims that while some material was later returned, a significant portion remains missing and is allegedly still held by central agencies. The plea seeks preparation of a detailed inventory of all removed items, identification of those returned, and restoration of recovered material to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for public access and research.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Ramesh Kumari observed that the matter could not be examined without the stand of the central authorities. The Court recorded that earlier proceedings had involved only the SGPC, which acknowledged that “some items were returned, some destroyed, while others remain with authorities.” Emphasising the need for clarity, the Bench directed the Centre, defence authorities, and investigative agencies to file replies specifically stating whether the disputed material is still in their custody.

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