1984 anti-Sikh riots: Hearing on plea against Jagdish Tytler deferred

A Delhi court today deferred the hearing on a plea by 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims against a magisterial court order accepting the CBI report to close a riot case against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler.

Additional sessions judge Sarita Birbal deferred the hearing the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims due to the lawyers' strike in Karkardooma court premises. The lawyers had resorted to the strike due to alleged misbehaviour of police with one of them.

The victim in their plea had also sought further probe by CBI into the case, claiming that there was further emergence of fresh evidence against Tytler.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on January 25 next year. It is slated to hear the final arguments from the victims on their plea challenging the CBI report to close the case against Tytler.

On April 27 last year, a magistrate had accepted the CBI closure report in the case against Tytler, saying there was no evidence to put him on trial.

Lakhwinder Kaur, whose husband was killed in riots, had approached the sessions court challenging the order of the magistrate.

The CBI had given a clean chit to Tytler on April 2, 2009 claiming lack of evidence against him in the case pertaining to the murder of three persons on November 1, 1984, in wake of the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Tytler's alleged role in the case relating to the killings of three persons in the riots, including that of one Badal Singh near Gurudwara Pulbangash in North Delhi was re-investigated by CBI after a court had in December 2007 refused to accept its closure report.

The court had allowed CBI's arguments that Tytler was present at late Indira Gandhi's residence at Teen Murti Bhavan and was not at the scene of crime, saying its contentions were justified by material, including some visual tapes and versions of some independent witnesses.

Witness Jasbir (now residing in California), in an affidavit, had claimed before the Nanavati Commission that he had heard Tytler on November 3, 1984, rebuking his men for the "nominal killings" carried out in the riots.

The court rejected Jasbir's version, saying he had deposed for something which took place on November 3 while the case related to an incident of November 1, 1984.