1984 riots: Delhi court to hear case against Jagdish Tytler from Oct.13

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday said that it will start hearing, from October 13, arguments on whether to frame charges against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, an accused in the Pul Bangash killings during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

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

In view of the above, Special Judge Vikas Dhull was scheduled to start the proceedings on Wednesday, but adjourned the matter on Tytler’s prayer.

Counsel for Tytler claimed that he needed time to approach the authorities concerned for certified copies of certain documents related to the case.

Even the Public Prosecutor for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) did not take any objection to the plea.

"Put up on October 13, 2023, for arguments on the point of charge," the judge said.

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Anand had earlier noted that the record reveals that the charge sheet, among other things, has been filed under Section 302 (titled as 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 tryable by the sessions court.

The court had issued notice with regard to the committal of the matter to Public Prosecutor Amit Jindal for CBI and had directed Tytler to be present before the sessions court on the set date for the 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 the 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 the killing of the three persons. Charges under Sections 147 (rioting), and 109 (abetment) read with 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), among others, have been invoked against Tytler by the probe agency.

With inputs from IANS

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