1984 anti-Sikh riots: Court fixes Aug 30 for order on framing of charges against Tytler

New Delhi [India], August 16 : Delhi's Rouse Avenue court on Friday fixed August 30 to pronounce the order on the framing of charges against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in a CBI case related to the alleged killing of three people in Pul Bangash gurudwara area during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Special CBI judge Rakesh Siyal said that August 30 was fixed for orders on framing of charges.
The CBI had filed a supplementary charge sheet against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in May last year.
During arguments, defence counsel Manu Sharma had placed on record a video of the Doordarshan shoot at Teen Murthy House, where the dead body of Indira Gandhi was kept. Defence counsel had argued that, as per a video, Tytler was present at Teen Murthy House on the day of the alleged incident.
This claim was disputed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and senior advocate H.S. Phoolka, counsel for the riot victims. The CBI had also referred to the Statement of Amitabh Bachchan, which stated that Tytler was not there for the entire day on November 1, 1984.
Manu Sharma had argued that the CBI had filed three closure reports. The CBI filed a charge sheet against co-accused Suresh Kumar Panewala in 2009. He was acquitted by the trial court.
It was also argued that since 1984 until 2022-23, there have been no witnesses. After a long period of 40 years, witnesses are coming forward. How can they be trusted? he had argued.
The CBI had on April 16 concluded its arguments on the framing of charges. The CBI had said that there were eyewitnesses who saw Jagdish Tytler inciting the mob during the 1984 riots. There is sufficient material to frame charges against the accused, Jagdish Tytler.
During his arguments, CBI's Counsel had read over the statements of four eyewitnesses, including Surender Singh, who saw the accused inciting the mob after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. This case is related to the alleged killing of three Sikhs, Thakur Singh, Badal Singh and Gurcharan Singh in front of Pul Bangash Gurudwara on November 1, 1984. Congress leader Jagdish Tytler is accused.
The CBI had filed a supplementary charge sheet against him on May 20, 2023. On August 5, Tytler appeared before the court against the summons issued by the court after taking cognisance of the supplementary charge sheet. Thereafter, he appeared through video conferencing.
Earlier, he was granted anticipatory bail on August 4, 2023, by the Sessions Court after hearing his bail application.
On May 20, the CBI filed a charge sheet against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in a case related to anti-Sikh riots in 1984, following the assassination of the then Prime Minister of India on October 31, 1984.
Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, then Member of Parliament, has been named as accused in the chargesheet.
In a statement, the CBI mentioned that the agency had registered the instant case in November 2005 on an incident wherein Gurudwara Pul Bangash at Azad Market, Bara Hindu Rao, Delhi, was set on fire by a mob and three persons, namely Sardar Thakur Singh, Badal Singh and Gurcharan Singh were burned to death on November 1, 1984, near Gurudwara Pul Bangash.
The Justice Nanavati Commission of Inquiry was set up in the year 2000 by the Government of India to enquire into the incidents of anti-Sikh riots of the year 1984 in Delhi.
After consideration of the Commission's report, the Ministry of Home Affairs (Government of India) had issued directions to the CBI to investigate the case against the then Member of Parliament and others.
During the CBI investigation, evidence came on record that on November 1, 1984, the said accused allegedly instigated, incited and provoked the mob assembled at Gurudwara Pul Bangash at Azad Market, Delhi, which resulted in the burning of Gurudwara Pul Bangash and the killing of three Sikh persons by the mob, apart from burning & looting of shops.