1984 anti-Sikh riots: Court lists Tytler’s case for clarification on May 30

This case pertains to the alleged killing of three Sikhs in front of Pul Bangash Gurdwara in Delhi by a mob on November 1, 1984, after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

New Delhi

The CBI has alleged there are eyewitnesses who saw Tytler “inciting the mob” and there is “sufficient material” to frame charges against him.

Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on Monday listed the 1984 Pul Bangash Sikh killings case for clarification after hearing arguments on framing of charges.

Special CBI judge Rakesh Syal listed the matter for clarification on May 30.

This case pertains to the alleged killing of three Sikhs --- Thakur Singh, Badal Singh and Gurcharan Singh --- in front of Pul Bangash Gurdwara in Delhi by a mob on November 1, 1984, after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleged that there are eyewitnesses who saw Tytler “inciting the mob” and there is “sufficient material” to frame charges against him.

The CBI had filed a supplementary chargesheet against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler last year.

Advocate Manu Sharma appeared for Tytler and concluded his arguments in rebuttal of CBI’s submissions.

He argued that the CBI had filed two closure reports and the agency had filed a chargesheet against co-accused Suresh Kumar Panewala in 2009, who was acquitted by the trial court.

It was also argued that since 1984, there were no witnesses in the case till 2022-23. The witnesses are coming after a long period, so how can they be trusted, he argued.

The CBI concluded its arguments on the framing of charges on April 16.

The investigative agency said that there are eyewitnesses who saw Tytler “inciting the mob” during the 1984 riots and there is “sufficient material” to frame charges against him.

During his arguments, CBI’s counsel read over the statements of four eyewitnesses, including Surender Singh, who saw the accused allegedly inciting the mob after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

He was granted anticipatory bail on August 4, 2023, by the sessions court after hearing his bail application.

In a statement, the CBI mentioned that the agency had registered the instant case in November 2005 on an incident wherein Gurdwara Pul Bangash at Azad Market, Bara Hindu Rao, Delhi was set on fire by a mob and three Sikhs were burnt to death on November 1, 1984.