1984 riots: Court asks CBI to file reply

A complainant in the 1984 anti-Sikh riot case on Friday filed a protest petition against the CBI’s closure report giving a clean chit to Congress leader Jagdish Tytler for his alleged role in the violence.

The petition was filed by Lakhvinder Kaur, whose husband Badal Singh was killed during the riot that left thousands dead after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. 

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Saurabh Pratap Singh <g data-gr-id="23">Laler</g> issued <g data-gr-id="21">notice</g> to the CBI and 

fixed the matter for September 11. The court was hearing the closure report that gave a clean chit to Tytler. It was for the third time that the CBI filed a closure report in the case.

In her plea filed through senior advocate H S Phoolka, Kaur has sought the court’s direction to the CBI to probe the matter further to bring on record available incriminating evidence against the accused and sought action against Tytler over allegations of influencing witness and money laundering. 

Phoolka, who is representing the victims, said the CBI’s investigation was “faulty, tainted, dishonest and perfunctory”.

The plea alleged that the CBI was able to trace out only those witnesses who are deposed in Tytler’s favour.

The petition alleged that the agency had not examined and recorded statements of witnesses who were available to depose against the accused.

The closure report has been filed on the premise that no incriminating evidence was available against Tytler.