The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday filed a chargesheet against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in a case pertaining to the anti-Sikh riots following the assassination of then Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.
The investigating agency alleged that the Congress leader “incited, instigated and provoked the mob” that assembled at Pul Bangash in Delhi on November 1, 1984, leading to the killing of three Sikhs.
The chargesheet has been filed almost 39 years after the incident in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM), Rouse Avenue District Court in Delhi.
Sources in the court said that the agency has made charges of rioting and murder, among others, against Mr. Tytler. The court will consider the charges on June 2.
The Justice Nanavati Commission was set up in the year 2000 by the Government of India to inquire into the anti-Sikh riots. After consideration of the Commission’s report, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued directions to the CBI to investigate the case against then Members of Parliament and others.
The CBI had registered the instant case on November 22, 2005. The case related to a mob setting on fire Gurdwara Pul Bangash at Azad Market in the national capital on November 1, 1984, and the death of three persons.
The CBI claimed that during the investigation, evidence was found that on the date of the incident, Mr. Tytler — a then Member of Parliament — had allegedly instigated, incited and provoked the mob assembled at Gurdwara Pul Bangash, which resulted in the burning of the religious site. The mob also burned to death three persons, namely Sardar Thakur Singh, Badal Singh and Gurcharan Singh, followed by looting and burning of shops.
As part of the investigation, the CBI, last month, collected the voice samples of Mr. Tytler for checking with a recording of a speech that was made 39 years ago, during the riots.
“After investigation, a chargesheet has been filed today,” the CBI said.
The agency had previously given a clean chit to Mr. Tytler in this case but had to re-open the case on court order in 2015.
