Tytler incited mob, said ‘not enough Sikhs killed’: CBI chargesheet on anti-Sikh riots

Congress leader Jagdish Tytler incited a mob to kill Sikhs near Delhi’s Gurudwara Pul Bangash in 1984 and despite a massacre said not enough Sikhs were killed, the CBI said in its supplementary chargesheet in the anti-Sikh riots, quoting witnesses in the case.

“Kill the Sikhs….they have killed our mother,” Tytler shouted, as he came out of a white ambassador car that pulled up in front of Gurudwara Pul Bangash on November 1, 1984. Soon, three people at the Sikh shrine lay sprawled, dead, one of the witnesses said.

The statement is part of the supplementary chargesheet filed against the former Union minister which led to his appearance, for the first time on Saturday (August 5) before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vidhi Gupta Anand as an accused in a case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Tytler said just kill the Sikhs, nothing will harm you: Witness

Three people were killed and a gurdwara was set ablaze in the Pul Bangash area in New Delhi on November 1, 1984, a day after the then prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards.

One of the statements claims that after alighting from the car, Tytler rebuked his supporters assembled there, saying, “I had completely assured you that nothing would affect (harm) you. You just kill the Sikhs.”

Also read: CBI files charge sheet against Cong leader Jagdish Tytler in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case

The accused further said that despite this, least number (very few) of Sikhs have been killed due to which he has been put to shame. He also said that there has been only nominal killing in his constituencies (assembly constituencies under his Delhi Sadar Lok Sabha seat) compared to East Delhi and North Delhi, and thereafter he left in a huff, the statement said.

‘Mob became violent after Tytler’s visit’

Some of the witnesses claimed although they did not hear what exactly Tytler told the mob, people gathered there became violent after his visit and began to attack the Gurudwara Pul Bangash and set it on fire.

Most witnesses said they failed to hear what Tytler told the mob but they saw him alight from the car and make a speech that triggered the rampage.

Another statement claimed that on November 3, 1984 Tytler went to a hospital in the national capital and rebuked a group of people gathered there, saying his instructions had not been followed “faithfully”.

According to the statement, Tyler also said that his position has been greatly compromised and lowered in the eyes of central leaders. As per this affidavit, the accused told the persons present there that only nominal killing of Sikhs has taken place in his constituency as compared to East Delhi, Outer Delhi Cantt. etc.

Also read: 1984 anti-Sikh riots: Delhi court reserves order on Jagdish Tytler’s anticipatory bail plea

“Tytler also said that he had promised large-scale killing of Sikhs and promised full protection but you (people) have betrayed me (Tytler) and let me down,” the charge sheet said, quoting the statement of one of the witnesses.

Tytler instigated, incited mob to kill Sikhs: CBI

The final report by the CBI said it also included the statements of witnesses who claimed they had not named Tytler, or retracted their statements naming him, because they were under threat from Tytler.

“In view of the facts and circumstances mentioned above, it is submitted that during investigation sufficient evidence have come on record that the accused Jagdish Tytler was part of the unlawful assembly committing rioting that had assembled near Gurudwara Pul Bangash on November 1, 1984, violating the prohibitory orders…” the chargesheet says.

“(He), instigated, incited, provoked the mob to kill the Sikhs which resulted in Gurudwara Pul Bangash being set on fire by the mob and killing of three persons belonging to Sikh community and also promoted enmity between different religious groups, the CBI said in the chargesheet.

The court on Saturday accepted the bail bond furnished by Tytler in connection with the case, noting that he has already been granted anticipatory bail by a sessions court.

Also read: 1984 anti-Sikh riots: Justice delayed and denied, convictions few and far between

A sessions court had on Friday granted anticipatory bail to Tytler in the case on a personal bond of ₹1 lakh and surety of the like amount.

The court had also imposed certain conditions on Tytler for bail, including that he will not tamper with the evidence or leave the country without its permission.

The CBI has invoked charges under Sections 147 (rioting), 109 (abetment) read with 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), among others, against Tytler.

(With inputs from agencies)

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