1984 anti-Sikh riots: Delhi court records ex-DSGMC chief’s statement against Tytler

A Delhi court on Friday recorded the statement of former Delhi Sikh Gurudawara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjit Singh GK as a prosecution witness in a 1984-anti Sikh riots case against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler.

Appearing before special judge Jitendra Singh, he said he had received a pen drive allegedly containing the voice recording of Tytler confessing his role in the riots.

He claimed having received an envelope at his house in 2018, containing a letter and the pen drive, which he later handed over to the CBI, which was investigating the matter.

Singh said Tytler, who was present in court, had threatened a witness in the case.

The witness would continue to record his statement on April 21.

The case is linked to the killings of three persons at Gurdwara Pul Bangash in the national capital in 1984.

The judge on November 12, 2024 concluded recording the statement of Lakhvinder Kaur, the widow of Badal Singh, who was killed by a mob at Gurudwara Pul Bangash during the riots.

The court framed charges of murder and other offences against Tytler on September 13 last year.

A witness claimed Tytler came out of a white car in front of the gurdwara on November 1, 1984, and instigated a mob against the community, leading to the killings.

A sessions court in 2023 granted anticipatory bail to Tytler in the case on a personal bond of ₹1 lakh and a surety of like amount.

Tytler was directed not to tamper with the evidence in the case or leave the country without the court’s permission, among other conditions.

The agency invoked charges under Sections 147 (rioting), 109 (abetment) read with 302 (murder) of the IPC, among others, against him.