1984 anti-Sikh riots case: Delhi court to hear arguments from Nov 21 on framing charges against Jagdish Tytler

New Delhi, Oct 13 (IANS) A Delhi court on Friday adjourned, to November 21, the hearing of arguments on whether to frame charges against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, an accused in the Pul Bangash killings during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Special Judge Vikas Dhull was scheduled to start the hearing from Friday, but adjourned the matter till November 21 on Tytler’s prayer.

Advocate Manu Sharma, appearing for the accused, submitted that he has not received certified copies of certain documents related to the case. Besides, he urged the court to verify whether the entire record of the CBI investigation, as well as of the Delhi Police, has reached the court.

At this, the court said that it would get the same verified.

Earlier, Additional Sessions Metropolitan Magistrate Vidhi Gupta Anand had said that offences against Tytler are exclusively triable by the Sessions Court and committed the file to Principal District and Sessions Judge of Rouse Avenue Court.

Anand had noted that record reveals that the charge sheet, among other things, has been filed under Section 302 (Punishment for murder) and 436 (Mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and these offences are exclusively triable by the sessions court.

The court had issued notice with regard to committal of matter to Public Prosecutor Amit Jindal for CBI, and had directed Tytler to be present before the sessions court on the set date for next hearing.

The case pertains to when the Gurdwara Pul Bangash at Azad Market was set on fire by a mob on November 1, 1984 and three persons, namely Sardar Thakur Singh, Badal Singh and Gurcharan Singh, were burnt to death. The incident took place a day after then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards.

In its charge sheet filed before the court, the CBI has said that Tytler incited, instigated, and provoked the mob that had assembled at the gurdwara, which resulted in the burning down of the shrine and killing of the three persons. Charges under Sections 147 (rioting), 109 (abetment) read with 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), among others, have been invoked against Tytler by the probe agency.