1984 anti-Sikh riots: Delhi court accepts Cong leader Jagdish Tytler’s bail bond

After accepting the bail bond as per the order of Special Judge, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Vidhi Gupta Anand said,"Put up for scrutiny of documents/further proceedings on 11.08.2023".

CBI Special Judge Vikas Dhull granted the anticipatory bail to Tytler on Friday by imposing certain conditions including furnishing a bail bond of Rs 1 lakh and not to tamper with the evidence related to the case.

ACMM after taking cognisance of the chargesheet issued a summons to Tyler for his appearance before the court on Saturday.

After investigation, CBI filed the chargesheet on May 20.

The CBI in its chargesheet said Tytler instigated and provoked the mob assembled at Pul Bangash Gurdwara, Azad Market, on November 1, 1984, after which the mob burned down the Gurdwara and three Sikhs Thakur Singh, Badal Singh and Guru Charan Singh were killed in the attack.

The investigating agency filed charges against Tytler in the case under Sections 147 (rioting), 109 (abetment), read with Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Three people were killed and a Gurdwara was torched in the Pul Bangash area a day after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

The CBI charge sheet quotes a witness saying she saw the Congress leader getting out of his car and instigating the mob.

"She witnessed a mob looting her shop, but she decided to return back as early as possible. While on her way back, on the Main Road close to the Gurdwara Pul Bangash, she saw a white Ambassador car from which accused Jagdish Tytler came out. Accused Jagdish Tytler instigated the mob to first kill Sikhs and then engage in looting. After seeing this, she returned to her house and thereafter took shelter in the house of her neighbour, where she witnessed the bodies of Shri Badel Singh and Shri Gorcharan Singh (an employee of her husband who had stayed at their house in the night of 31.10.1984) being thrown from the roof of neighbour's house and then carried on wooden-cart along with tyres, and then these bodies were burnt using the tyres. She also saw the Gurudwara Pul Bangash being set on fire by the mob," it said.

It also includes another witness who reported that a group carrying containers of petrol, along with sticks, swords, and rods. According to the account, Jagdish Tytler, who was a Member of Parliament at that time, was present near Gurudwara Pul Bangash. The witness mentioned that the Congress leader was instigating the crowd to attack the Gurudwara.

"Accused Jagdish Tytler also said that his position has been greatly compromised and lowered in the eyes of central leaders. As per this affidavit, accused Jagdish Tytler told the persons present there that only nominal killing of Sikhs has taken place in his constituency as compared to East Delhi, Outer Delhi, Cantt. etc," it said.