1984 anti-Sikh riots: Delhi court orders charges to be framed against Jagdish Tytler

PTC News Desk: The Delhi Court has found Jagdish Tytler guilty in the Pulbangash Gurdwara violence case related to the anti-Sikh riots of 1984. The decision regarding the framing of charges against Tytler was previously reserved on July 19.

During an earlier hearing, Manu Sharma, the lawyer representing Jagdish Tytler, argued that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed two closure reports in this case. In 2009, a charge sheet was filed against co-accused Suresh Kumar Pannewala, who was later acquitted by the trial court.

Sharma questioned the credibility of the witnesses who came forward decades later, stating that there were no witnesses from 1984 until 2022-23, and such delayed testimonies should not be trusted. He also sought the acquittal of Tytler, arguing that the evidence was insufficient.

Additionally, Tytler’s defense mentioned Gurpatwant Pannu, the lawyer representing the witnesses, noting that since Pannu has been declared a terrorist by India, the prosecution’s case against Tytler lacks merit and should be dismissed. They argued that Tytler should be acquitted based on this association.

The debate over the framing of charges was completed by the CBI on April 16. On August 4, 2023, the Rose Avenue Sessions Court granted anticipatory bail to Tytler, acknowledging the charge sheet filed against him on July 26, 2023. The CBI has charged Tytler under Sections 147 (rioting), 109 (abetment), and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.

The CBI contends that Jagdish Tytler incited a mob that subsequently set the Pulbangash Gurdwara on fire. This tragic event occurred on November 1, 1984, and resulted in the deaths of three Sikhs.

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