1984 Sikh Riots Case: Delhi HC Sets Nov 29 For Jagdish Tytler’s Plea

Jagdish Tytler

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday has postponed the hearing of Congress leader Jagdish Tytler’s plea to Nov 29, which challenges a trial court’s decision to frame charges against him related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The charges include murder, unlawful assembly, rioting, and promoting enmity. Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri’s bench has rescheduled the matter for November 29, noting that some statements cited in the case were not on record and that a formal notice has yet to be issued.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate HS Phoolka represented the victims’ families and opposed Tytler’s plea. Special Public Prosecutor Anupam Sharma, representing the Central Bureau of Investigation, also contested Tytler’s challenge regarding the trial court’s decision to frame charges against him.

Tytler’s counsel, Senior Lawyer Arvind Nigam, argued against the charges, reviewing the trial court’s order and witness statements. Tytler has pleaded not guilty and has now approached the High Court to contest the charges.

In his plea, Tytler claimed that the trial court’s order was “perverse” and lacked proper application of mind, arguing that the charges were unfounded and unsupported by credible evidence. He described the order as misconceived and mechanically issued, warranting dismissal.

Additionally, Tytler cited medical issues in his request to change the trial court’s ruling, mentioning past biopsies and a severe fall in 2021 that resulted in hospitalization.

On May 20, 2023, the CBI filed a charge sheet against Tytler, accusing him of inciting a mob at Pul Bangash Gurudwara in Azad Market on November 1, 1984, leading to the destruction of the gurudwara and the deaths of three Sikhs: Thakur Singh, Badal Singh, and Gurcharan Singh.

The charge sheet includes various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), such as rioting, unlawful assembly, and murder.

A key witness alleged that Tytler incited the mob by arriving in a white Ambassador car and shouting, “Kill the Sikhs, they have killed our mother,” which reportedly led to the fatal attacks.