Victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots stage a protest against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler outside the Rouse Avenue Court, in New Delhi. File Photo
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday directed the CBI to trace a witness in a 1984-anti Sikh riots case against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler.
Special CBI judge Jitendra Singh granted another opportunity to CBI to trace and summon Manmohan Kaur, who is a prosecution witness (PW) against Tytler in the case.
The judge, who previously summoned Kaur, was informed by the central probe agency that Kaur was untraceable.
The court on Monday recorded the statement of another prosecution witness, Bal Kishan Arya while summoning other witnesses, namely, Anuj Sinha and N D Pancholi on December 20.
"Public prosecutor for CBI requests that PW Anuj Sinha, as per list of witnesses, may be summoned for the next date. He further seeks one more opportunity to make effort for summoning PW Manmohan Kaur and PW N D Pancholi. Heard. Request is allowed. IO is directed to trace the said witnesses. At request, let Manmohan Kaur, N D Pancholi and Anuj Sinha be summoned for the next date," the judge said.
Tytler appeared before the court in person.
The case is linked to the killings of three Sikhs at Gurudwara Pul Bangash in the national capital in 1984.
The judge on November 12 concluded recording the statement of Lakhvinder Kaur, the widow of Badal Singh who was killed by a mob at Gurudwara Pul Bangash during the riots.
The court framed charges of murder and other offences against Tytler on September 13.
A witness claimed that Tytler came out of a white car in front of Gurudwara Pul Bangash on November 1, 1984, and instigated a mob against the Sikhs leading to the "murder" of three people.
A sessions court in 2023 granted anticipatory bail to Tytler in the case on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and a surety of like amount.
Tytler was directed to not tamper with the evidence in the case or leave the country without the court's permission, among other conditions.
The agency invoked charges under Sections 147 (rioting), 109 (abetment) read with 302 (murder) of the IPC, among others, against him.