Jagdish Tytler Denies Charges In 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Case; Trial To Begin In October

Congress leader Jagdish Tytler has denied all charges against him in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, choosing instead to face trial.

The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi has scheduled the trial to begin on 3 October, when witness testimonies will be recorded.

Insights

During a previous hearing, the court had framed charges against Tytler under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including sections 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 153A (promoting enmity between groups), 188 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant), 109 (abetment), 295 (defiling places of worship), 380 (theft), and 302 (murder).

Tytler now faces trial under these charges, including murder, linked to an incident in which three individuals lost their lives.

The charges stem from accusations that Tytler incited a mob on 1 November 1984, outside Gurdwara Pul Bangash in Delhi, following the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to a witness, Tytler allegedly exited an Ambassador car and urged the crowd to kill Sikhs, stating, “They killed our mother, now kill them.”

Shortly after, a mob set the gurdwara ablaze, killing three Sikhs – Thakur Singh, Badal Singh, and Gurcharan Singh.

Last year, the Rouse Avenue Court granted Tytler anticipatory bail, requiring him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh.

The court also ordered him to surrender his passport and instructed him not to tamper with evidence or leave the country without prior permission.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has charged Tytler under multiple sections of the IPC, including 302 for murder, 147 for rioting, and 153A for promoting enmity.

The case involves a mob burning down Gurdwara Pul Bangash on 1 November 1984, killing three victims in the fire.

In a sworn statement to the Justice Nanavati Commission in 2000, another witness claimed to have seen Tytler at the scene, reprimanding a group of people near the TB Hospital gate in Delhi for not following his orders properly.

Also Read: Rising Fear In Dariyapur; Jackal Attacks Haunt Bihar Village