SIT Full Form

SIT full form is Special Investigation Team, and is appointed by the supreme court to solve high-profile cases that couldn’t be handled by any existing investigation agency. These special investigative personnel are trained units of law enforcement officers. Often they are involved in complex criminal offenses. If we go through India’s constitution, we won’t find any legislation that provides any particular case to be handled by the team. Are you eager to discover SIT? Then read the article as a brief insight into the working of SIT, their responsibilities and their importance in India’s judiciary system has been discussed.

What is SIT Full Form?

The full form of SIT is Special Investigation Team, and is appointed only to tackle some criminal cases involving complexities. Mostly, special investigation teams are included in cases only with the order of the supreme court, they cannot function like the police. There are certain cases, the police or any other investigating department fails to solve and are ultimately handed over to the SIT.

The SIT is a temporary body which comprises departmental heads of police, civil servants and ex-police officers. The investigative officer can only gather evidence and offer advice to the police or those actively involved in a case. As soon as the case closes, the SIT ceases to exist. Unlike CBI, they don’t act as permanent crime investigators and are appointed only in emergency situations. 

Overview of SIT

How does the Special Investigation Team (SIT full form) Function?

SIT is involved in a case to find evidence that is unbiased, full-proof and uncompromised. In some high-profile cases, the existing investigating team often tamper with the evidence that misleads the court thereby, justice is not given to the victims. So, to eliminate any disparities, the supreme court or the government of India selects the investigation team who gathers information and evidence which is then circulated to the court for further investigations. 

During the investigation of a  crime, the Special Investigation Team (SIT full form) is accompanied by the police, and only with cooperation between two authorities, the right conclusion is drawn in a criminal case. After the team prepares a report which undergoes various levels of scrutiny, the final decision lies with the court as it can either accept or deny the report. Suppose the court denies the report, and the fate of a case is decided by the appellate court.

Understanding the SIT Team Structure

The SIT, the full form of which is Special Investigation Team, performs varied functions effectively because of a swift internal team. Each team member plays a vital role and helps in solving a case without delaying justice for victims.

Let’s understand the role of the internal team of SIT.

• Support Staff: The support staff helps in an investigation by analysing evidence at the crime scene. These staff are mainly forensic experts and fingerprint analysts, and their responsibility is to help SIT officers gather the right evidence.
• Case Officers: These officers conduct investigations and prepare reports concerning evidence they gather for crime scenes. Case officers conduct interviews with eyewitnesses and suspects by joining leagues with other investigation agencies.
• Administrative staff: To handle an investigation, administrative personnel help the SIT officers in completing administrative formalities. It includes clerks, secretaries and other personnel.
• Team Leader: They lead the team of investigators through supervision. Generally, high-ranking officers in police service become team leaders in SIT.

     Fig1: SIT Team Structure

How is SIT Different from CBI?

Many confuse CBI with SIT; well, they are not the same. CBI is an executive crime investigative body established under the Delhi Police Special Establishment Act. On the contrary, a special investigation team is a temporary team formed with the order of the supreme court or government of India to only handle some complicated cases. 

CBI acts as a permanent body involved in investigating, gathering evidence and presenting the report to the court based on their opinion; however SIT is not allowed to work on any criminal offenses, they can handle cases that remain even a  mystery to CBI, CID or police. 

What are the Responsibilities of SIT?

SIT is an important investigation wing; therefore, they work on various fronts to ensure victims get justice. To understand their role effectively, find below some of the major responsibilities of a SIT officer. 

1. One of the primary responsibilities fulfilled by an SIT officer is conducting investigations in a case. They take into account gathering evidence from crime scenes, interrogating suspects and finding new leads for the speedy development of a case.
2. Based on the findings of a case, they recommend further actions and also make sure their processes abide by the legal framework. They suggest changes in the plan according to newfound evidence and follow up with their seniors.
3. They take a close look at a case by adequately assessing every evidence and witness. An SIT officer seeks assistance from forensic experts and fingerprint analysts to reach a consensus.
4. After gathering facts that prove a crime, they present to the seniors and community all the findings.

Characteristics SIT Officer Must Possess

• An SIT officer, the full form of which is a special investigation team, must possess expertise in finding clues in a case from forensic evidence. 
• They need to take complete accountability for a case, especially make sure that none of the development in a confidential case is revealed in public. 
• Each case comes with a certain level of challenge, and an SIT officer needs to portray confidence, patience, transparency and fairness when dealing with any investigation. 
• They need to be experts in communication. During a case, SIT officers have to conduct meetings and interviews with witnesses and those associated with a case.
• The Special Investigation Team (SIT full form) must be authoritative as some powers lie with them. They are even responsible for farming policies that help in the development of an investigation, so authoritativeness is an important characteristic they must possess.

Top Cases Handled by the Special Investigation Team 

The SIT is formed from time-to-time in handling criminal cases that the existing investigating authorities fail to solve. Over the years the special investigation team has been ably formulated by the government of India to present an unbiased judgment. Here are some examples of cases taken over by the SIT, full form of which is Special Investigation Team.

1984 anti-Sikh Riot

The supreme court 2018 accepted the request of the central government recommendation of appointing SIT to investigate 186 cases of anti-Sikh riots. The special investigation succeeded in arresting four men involved in allegedly setting fire to a building, burning alive four people on June 15.

Shraddha Walker Murder Case

Shardha Walker, a call center employee, had been killed by her boyfriend who chopped her body parts which he stored in a refrigerator. The Delhi police established an SIT to investigate the murder case. The police’s decision came after Aftab the convict confessed to the crime in the polygraph test.

Nagaland kIlling

SIT, full form of which is Special Investigation Team presented a chargesheet in the Nagaland killing to the supreme court. They found that the petition team failed to follow proper operating procedures and relied on indiscriminate firing that led to the killing of six occupants of the vehicle.