NEW DELHI: A Delhi court is set to issue a ruling on August 30 regarding whether Congress leader Jagdish Tytler will face formal charges in connection with the deaths of three people at Pul Bangash during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The decision follows a hearing presided over by Special CBI Judge Rakesh Siyal, who reserved the order after seeking final clarifications from the involved parties.
“There are no further clarifications required. I am reserving the order for August 30,” Judge Siyal stated during Friday’s proceedings, marking a crucial moment in the long-running legal battle.
The case traces back to the violence that erupted in Delhi following the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. On November 1, 1984, a mob gathered
near the Pul Bangash gurdwara, leading to the deaths of three people. According to the charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in May 2023, Tytler, a former Union Minister, is accused of inciting the mob with inflammatory remarks.
The CBI’s chargesheet details testimony from a witness who alleged that Tytler arrived at the scene in a white Ambassador car and provoked the crowd by shouting, “Kill the Sikhs, they have killed our mother!” This incitement reportedly fueled the mob’s fury, leading to the tragic deaths.
Last year, Tytler was granted anticipatory bail by a sessions court, requiring him to post a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh along with a surety of the same amount. As part of the bail conditions, Tytler was prohibited from tampering with evidence and from leaving the country without court approval.
The charges against Tytler include rioting (Section 147 of the Indian Penal Code), abetment (Section 109), and murder (Section 302), among other serious allegations.