Court seeks witness' address in Sikh riots case

NEW DELHI: CBI's decision to close its case against former Union Minister Jagdish Tytler in 1984 anti-Sikh riots is likely to come under the scrutiny of a city court which on Thursday sought the address of a crucial witness, declared 'untraceable' by the CBI, for possible deposition.
 
The CBI in its chargesheet on September 29 had claimed that Jasbir Singh, who had allegedly heard Tytler inciting a mob for killing Sikhs, could not be examined as he was currently settled in the USA, and his whereabouts were not known.
 
Two Sikh organisations - Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee and November '84 Carnage Justice Committee - had, on October 4, moved an application seeking a copy of the said
chargesheet, so as to aid them in filing a petition against the agency's claim.
 
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Sanjeev Jain directed senior counsel H S Phoolka, representing the Sikh bodies to furnish address of Singh as he claimed that the witness had expressed a desire to come forward and record his testimony in the case.
     
"As I understand, you rely upon the testimony of Jasbir Singh. Give me his address and I would direct the CBI to trace him," the ACMM said, while directing the counsel to furnish the address of Singh on December 6.
 
The court, however, expressed doubt as to whether the attendance of the witness (Singh) could be ensured in the case.
   
To this, the counsel said the witness had expressed his desire to present himself before the court, and hence there was no ground for any apprehensions.