Today(on 19th July), The Rouse Avenue Court has reserved its decision on the framing of charges against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in a CBI case linked to the 1984 Sikh killings. The court is expected to announce its order on August 2 after reviewing submissions from both sides.
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DELHI: Today(on 19th July), the Rouse Avenue court reserved its decision regarding the framing of charges in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler. This case is intricately linked to the 1984 Sikh killings in the Pul Bangash area following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The court is expected to announce its order on the charges on August 2. Special CBI Judge Rakesh Siyal, after hearing submissions and clarifications from both the counsel for the CBI and Jagdish Tytler, decided to reserve the order on the framing of charges. This follows the CBI’s supplementary charge sheet filed against Tytler in May last year.
During the arguments, defence counsel Manu Sharma presented a video from a Doordarshan shoot at Teen Murthy House, where Indira Gandhi’s body was kept, aiming to prove Tytler’s alibi. According to Sharma, the video shows Tytler present at Teen Murthy House on the day of the alleged incident. This claim was strongly contested by the CBI and senior advocate HS Phoolka, who represents the riot victims. The CBI also referenced a statement from actor Amitabh Bachchan, reinforcing their stance.
Manu Sharma further argued that the CBI had previously filed three closure reports in the case. In 2009, the CBI had charged co-accused Suresh Kumar Panewala, who was later acquitted by the trial court. He emphasized that for nearly four decades, there were no witnesses, but now, after 40 years, witnesses are surfacing, questioning their reliability.
The Central Bureau of Investigation concluded its arguments on the framing of charges on April 16. The CBI stated that there were eyewitnesses who saw Jagdish Tytler inciting the mob during the 1984 riots. They claimed there is substantial evidence to frame charges against Tytler.
During his presentation, CBI’s Counsel read the statements of four eyewitnesses, including Surender Singh, who testified that they saw Tytler provoking the mob after Indira Gandhi’s assassination. These statements were deemed crucial by the CBI in establishing Tytler’s alleged role in the incident.
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The case revolves around the killing of three Sikhs, Thakur Singh, Badal Singh, and Gurcharan Singh, who were murdered in front of the Pul Bangash Gurudwara on November 1, 1984. Jagdish Tytler, a Congress leader, stands accused in this tragic event.
The court’s reserved order on the framing of charges marks a critical point in the prolonged quest for justice for the victims of the 1984 Sikh riots.
The upcoming decision on August 2 is highly anticipated.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has intensified its investigation into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, naming Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in a supplementary chargesheet filed on May 20, 2023. Following the charges, Tytler appeared before the court on August 5, 2023, in response to a summons issued by the court. Initially, his appearance was in person, but subsequent appearances were conducted via video conferencing.
On August 4, 2023, the session court granted Tytler anticipatory bail after hearing his bail application. This move came just a day before his scheduled court appearance. The chargesheet by the CBI, filed on May 20, 2023, is part of a long-standing investigation into Tytler’s alleged involvement in the horrific anti-Sikh riots that erupted in the aftermath of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination on October 31, 1984.
Tytler, who was a Member of Parliament at the time, has been formally accused in this new chargesheet. The CBI’s statement highlights that the agency had registered the case in November 2005.
The incident in question involves the attack on Gurudwara Pul Bangash in Azad Market, Bara Hindu Rao, Delhi. On November 1, 1984, a mob set the gurudwara ablaze, resulting in the tragic deaths of three Sikhs: Sardar Thakur Singh, Badal Singh, and Gurcharan Singh.
In the wake of the riots, the Government of India established the Justice Nanavati Commission of Inquiry in 2000 to investigate the events of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi. The commission’s report prompted the Ministry of Home Affairs to direct the CBI to investigate the case against Tytler and other individuals involved.
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The CBI investigation uncovered significant evidence indicating that on November 1, 1984, Tytler allegedly “Encouraged, incited, and provoked the crowd gathered at Gurudwara Pul Bangash in Azad Market, Delhi.” This incitement reportedly led to the burning of the gurudwara, the killing of the three Sikh men, and the looting and destruction of surrounding shops.
The re-emergence of this case against Tytler has reignited public interest and scrutiny. Many are watching closely as the legal proceedings continue to unfold, with the hope that justice will finally be served for the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.