CBI to reinvestigate Tytler's role in 1984 riots (Lead)

Dec 18, 2007, 9:08 GMT

New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) A Delhi court Tuesday ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to reinvestigate Congress leader Jagdish Tytler's role in inciting mobs during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and submit its report by Jan 15.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjeev Jain also asked the CBI to find out the role of Jasbir Singh, said to be a key witness against Tytler.

The CBI had earlier let the former union minister off saying they could not find any witness against him. But Jasbir Singh, who stays in California, has said he is willing to testify against Tytler if his safety is guaranteed.

Jasbir Singh is a witness to the Nov 1, 1984 incident when a mob had set on fire the Gurdwara Pulbangash in north Delhi killing three people.

Riot victims had alleged that the CBI was not serious about getting Jasbir Singh's testimony because it had not asked the court's permission to reinvestigate the case after filing the closure report three months ago.

The CBI had earlier told the court that it could not trace Jasbir Singh. The court had then given his address to the CBI.

The Nanavati Commission, constituted to look into the riots, had claimed evidence against Congress leaders Tytler, Sajjan Kumar and H.K.L. Bhagat for instigating the mobs to violence after two Sikh bodyguards assassinated then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

But senior counsel H.S. Phoolka, representing Sikh organisations, furnished Jasbir Singh's address and said that the latter had expressed a desire to come forward to record his testimony in the case.

The case in the Gurdwara Pulbangash case was registered on the basis of affidavits filed before the Nanavati Commission.

© 2007 Indo-Asian News Service