1984 Anti-Sikh riots: Delhi court orders to frame charges against Jagdish Tytler
Synopsis
The CBI, in a chargesheet filed in May last year, had accused Tytler, a former Union Minister, of "inciting, instigating and provoking the mob" assembled near a gurdwara in November 1984.
Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Friday ordered the framing of charges against former Congress MP Jagdish Tytler in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, relating to killings of Sikhs in Delhi’s Pul Bangash area. The court, while pronouncing its order, stated that there are sufficient grounds to proceed against Tytler on multiple charges, including murder, rioting, and abetment, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The court found enough evidence to proceed against Tytler under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house), 451 (house-trespass), 380 (theft in dwelling house), and 302 (murder) of the IPC.
In a chargesheet issued in May last year, the CBI accused Tytler, a former Union Minister, of "inciting, instigating, and provoking the mob" that collected near a gurdwara in November 1984.
In its final arguments in January, the federal agency said there were eyewitnesses to Tytler inciting the crowd and stated that there is enough evidence to indict him. The agency read statements from four eyewitnesses.
"Tytler provoked the mob to kill Sikhs which resulted in Gurudwara Pul Bangash being set on fire by the mob and killing of three persons belonging to Sikh community..." according to testimony provided by the CBI.
Tytler, however, has insisted that there is not even a "single evidence" against him. "What did I do? If there is proof against me, I am willing to hang myself... It wasn't linked to the 1984 riots case, for which they sought my voice (sample), but to another case," he stated in August last year, after leaving the CBI's forensics laboratory with voice samples.
Tytler is out on bail granted by a sessions court on a bond and surety of Rs 1 lakh each.
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