Jagdish Tytler gets clean chit in 1984 riots case

NEW DELHI - A city court Tuesday gave a clean chit to former union minister and Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case and accepted the Central Breau of Investigation\’s (CBI) closure report which ruled out his involvement in the carnage.

\”There is insufficient material to send Tytler to trial,\” Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Rakesh Pandit said.

Giving a reprieve to 66-year-old Tytler, who did not attend the proceedings Tuesday, the court accepted CBI\’s plea that most of the statements made by two key witnesses-California-based Jasbir Singh and Surinder Singh-were \”contradictory, false and concocted\”.

The CBI counsel said: \”The two witnesses have given different versions of the event everytime we interrogated them. That\’s what we have written in the closure report too.\”

The CBI had filed its closure report April 22, 2009.

Stating that there was no need for further investigation, the court said Jasbir Singh\’s statement had \”no relevance\” while Surinder Singh\’s statements were \”self contradictory\”.

The CBI completed its arguments on the closure report Feb 10, 2009.

The agency claimed there was insufficient evidence to prove his involvement in the murder of three persons on Nov 1, 1984 following the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The alleged role of Tytler in the case relating to the killing of three persons, including Badal Singh, in 1984 near Gurudwara Pulbangash in north Delhi was re-investigated by the CBI after a city court had in December 2007 refused to accept an earlier closure report filed by the agency.

The supporters and families of riot victims who were present outside the Karkardooma Courts in east Delhi were disappointed by the verdict. Some of them protested outside the court calling the order \”unfair\”.

\”The CBI has shielded Tytler since he is a minister,\” said a victim\’s relative.

Lakhwinder Kaur, widow of riot victim Badal Singh, said she will challenge the order.