1984 anti-Sikh riots case: Jagdish Tytler urges HC to stay trial proceedings against him

The trial court, on September 13, formally framed charges against him after he pleaded not guilty to the offences.

Besides murder, the trial court had ordered the framing of charges for several other offences, including unlawful assembly, provocation, rioting, murder, promoting enmity between different groups, house trespass, and theft.

The CBI had on May 20, 2023, filed a charge sheet against Tytler in the case.

Tytler had allegedly "incited, instigated and provoked the mob assembled at Pul Bangash Gurdwara Azad Market" on November 1, 1984, resulting in the burning down of the gurdwara and the killing of three Sikhs -- Thakur Singh, Badal Singh, and Gurcharan Singh -- the CBI alleged in its charge sheet.

Citing a witness, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had in its charge sheet said that Tytler came out of a white Ambassador car in front of Gurdwara Pul Bangash on November 1, 1984 and allegedly instigated a mob by shouting -- "Kill the Sikhs, they have killed our mother." Three Sikhs were then killed by the mob.

Anti-Sikh riots erupted in several parts of the country in the aftermath of the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.

A Sessions court had in August last year granted anticipatory bail to Tytler in the case. PTI

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