New Delhi, March 18 (H.S.): Today at the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi, the statement of Senior Scientific Officer Amitosh Kumar from the Forensic Department was recorded in the case against Jagdish Tytler, who is accused in the violence at Pulbangash Gurudwara during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Special Judge Jitendra Singh ordered that the next hearing of the case would take place on April 4.

During today's hearing, Scientific Officer Amitosh Kumar provided his statement, followed by cross-examination from Anil Kumar Sharma, the Advocate for Jagdish Tytler. Prior to this, on March 7, Forensic Officer S. Ingrasal was cross-examined, and on February 7, another forensic official's statement was recorded.

A recorded voice sample of Tytler was played in court, with earlier statements from officials dated January 28. The complainant, Lakhwinder Kaur, was cross-examined on November 12, 2024, after recording her statement on October 3, 2024, where she alleged Tytler incited a mob to kill Sikhs and burn the Gurudwara. Tytler is contesting an order for charges to be framed against him in the High Court, which has not postponed trial proceedings.

On August 30, 2024, the court ruled to frame charges against him under multiple sections of the IPC. Advocate Manu Sharma, representing Tytler, noted that the CBI had submitted two closure reports and pointed out that only one co-accused was previously charged and acquitted. He also highlighted the absence of witnesses from 1984 to 2022-23, questioning the credibility of newly surfaced witnesses.

Earlier, on August 4, 2023, Tytler received anticipatory bail after the court acknowledged a charge sheet filed against him on July 26, 2023, concerning allegations of inciting a mob during the Pulbangash incident.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar