Court pulls up CBI for delay in 1984 riots case

A court here took strong exception to CBI’s failure to advance final arguments on Tuesday in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler as victims staged a protest outside against the alleged delay in handing out justice.

The riots victims gathered outside the Karkardooma Court complex here and shouted slogans demanding justice for them and their family members who were killed in the riots.

They were raising slogans seeking strict punishment for Tytler and Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who is facing trial for his alleged role in instigating the mob to kill Sikhs after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

During the hearing, the court directed CBI prosecutor, who sought more time for advancing his arguments as he was not prepared on Tuesday, to begin his arguments on the next date of hearing on March 20, failing which the judge said she would pass the order in the case on the basis of available evidence.

“If the arguments are not advanced by CBI on March 20, the next date of hearing, the order will be passed on the basis of material available on record,” additional sessions judge Anuradha Shukla Bhardwaj said.

The court was hearing final arguments on the protest petition filed by riot victim Lakhwinder Kaur, whose husband Badal Singh was killed in the riots, challenging the CBI’s closure report and clean chit to Tytler in the case.

CBI prosecutor Sanjay Kumar said he has been handed over the charge of the case file recently so was not fully prepared to argue.

The judge asked the prosecutor what was the problem and why he cannot argue when the CBI officials were told earlier also that the case has been fixed for their submissions.