Jagdish Tytler Faces Charges for Alleged Role in 1984 Anti-Sikh Violence

Prime accused, Jagdish Tytler, senior Congress leader, was found involved in anti Sikh carnage of 1984 in Delhi especially regarding Pul Bangash Gurdwara incident where three Sikh men were murdered. After the killing of Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh security guards, there were massive anti-Sikh programs in different parts of the country specifically in Delhi. Karega Ekta’s riots came under allegations with MP Tytler that was a Congress MP at the age of 40 and indicted for mobilizing the assembly that struck the Gurdwara on November 1, 1984.

The case against Tytler was taken in May 2024 when the CBI filed a charge sheet in which Tytler had been accused of instigating, provoking or inciting the mob which led to the attack. Murder charge is mentioned according to the section 302, abetment to commit murder according to section 109, rioting according to section 147, promoting enmity, knowing that breach of the peace is likely to be caused according to the section 153A and unlawful assembly according to section 143 of IPC. However, what has been leveled against him in the conduct of these investigations saw some bogging down as to his role, with major advancements made many decades later.

The Nanavati Commission set up by the Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2000 regarding the event of 1984 indicated that Tytler was probably involved in the attacks of Pul Bangash. Despite the primary source evidence which the Commission collected from eye-witnesses it concluded that Tytler had led the mob that burnt the gurdwara and murdered the three men. However, even when Tytler had to relinquish his ministerial position in 2005 after the Commission’s report, he continues to plead that he had no hand in the same, adding that he never visited the site of the violence in Gujarat.

The case against Tytler was revived once again with the formation of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in 2015 and further investigation took place such as the sample of voice of Tytler. Framing of charges against him in the recent court order indicates the continuous process of delivering justice towards the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.