Ready to examine Jagdish Tytler case afresh: CBI

In a new turn in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, the CBI, which had given a clean chit to Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, on Tuesday said it is ready to once again examine the case against him if the victim provides fresh evidence.

The agency took this stand in a submission filed a local court which had listed the case for pronouncement of order on Tuesday on whether to accept the agency’s closure report.

But additional chief metropolitan magistrate S.P.S. Laler was on leave and the matter has now been fixed for December 4. The CBI was replying to a fresh plea filed by the complainant, Lakhvinder Kaur, whose husband Badal Singh was killed in the riots, seeking deferring of the case to enable her furnish reliable information regarding witnesses quoted in the final report.

In its reply, the CBI said it has no objection if the case is deferred for granting time to Ms Kaur to get concrete information regarding material witnesses, Resham Singh, Chanchal Singh, Alam Singh, Jasbir Singh, Santosh Singh and Narender Singh.

“It is respectfully submitted that if the applicant (complainant) provides (details of) the material witnesses in the interest of justice in the present matter, then the CBI is ready to take up further investigation in the additional evidence,” the CBI reply said.

The CBI was replying to the victim’s plea filed by advocate Gurbaksh Singh that through reliable links, she has been able to trace the witnesses who have promised her that if their safety is assured, they were ready to reveal true facts about the incident on November 1, 1984, in which her husband was killed.

“It is prayed that the CBI may be granted time with permission to examine the material if so supplied by the complainant,” the agency said.