On Friday, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court ordered the framing of charges against former Congress MP Jagdish Tytler in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, specifically relating to the killings of Sikhs in the Pul Bangash area of Delhi.
The court, in its order, found sufficient grounds to proceed against Tytler on multiple charges, including murder, rioting, and abetment under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a chargesheet against Tytler last year, accusing him of inciting violence during the riots, which led to the death of three individuals near the Pul Bangash Gurdwara in North Delhi.
The court determined that there was enough evidence to move forward with charges 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 a 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.
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However, the court discharged Tytler from the offence under section 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon).
The formal framing of charges has been scheduled for September 13, 2024, and the court has ordered Tytler to be physically present for the hearing.
The 1984 anti-Sikh riots erupted following the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, resulting in widespread violence and the deaths of thousands of Sikhs across India.
Details from the Chargesheet
The CBI’s chargesheet against Tytler alleges that the Congress leader assured the rioters that no legal action would be taken against them. Tytler reportedly compared the number of killings in his constituency with other areas and encouraged his followers to target more Sikhs.
An eyewitness account in the chargesheet describes how Tytler emerged from his white Ambassador car and incited the mob. The eyewitness, whose shop was torched during the riots, recalled Tytler telling the mob to first kill the Sikhs and then loot their shops.
Another statement in the chargesheet detailed how Tytler, then a Member of Parliament, incited mobs at the Gurdwara Pul Bangash in Delhi’s Azad Market. Tytler was reportedly present in front of the Gurdwara, in violation of prohibitory orders. According to the chargesheet, Tytler’s co-passengers on a bus advised a Sikh eyewitness to remove his turban and return home after assessing the volatile situation.
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