The Delhi High Court on Wednesday adjourned Congress leader Jagdish Tytler’s criminal revision petition challenging the Trial Court’s order directing the framing of charges against him.

The matter was postponed after Tytler’s counsel sought an adjournment, citing the unavailability of the arguing counsel.

Justice Vikas Mahajan renotified the case for April 8, 2025.

During a previous hearing, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) stated that eight witnesses had testified to Tytler’s presence at Gurudwara Pul Bangash during the 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots, though he continues to deny it.

Tytler had submitted a 17-minute video as an alibi, claiming he was at Teen Murti House at the time of the incident. However, CBI's Special Public Prosecutor Anupam S Sharma and Advocate Prakarsh Airan argued that nine minutes of the footage remained unaccounted for.

On August 30, 2023, the Rouse Avenue Court directed the framing of charges against Tytler, noting that the evidence suggested he was part of an unlawful assembly that attacked Gurudwara Pul Bangash, leading to its destruction and the deaths of three people.

Special Judge Rakesh Syal observed:

"The material on record reveals that when the members of the unlawful assembly were attacking Gurudwara Pul Bangash and looting Sikh properties, the accused instigated them by shouting ‘maro maro’ (hit, hit) and ‘pahle maro phir luto’ (hit first, steal later).”

Initially, 32 suspects were named in a charge sheet, but CBI investigations found insufficient evidence against Tytler in earlier reports. Witnesses, including Harpal Kaur, Harvinderjit Singh, and Abdul Wahid, later provided detailed testimonies implicating him. Despite forensic corroboration, the case was delayed due to pending prosecution sanction from the Commissioner of Police.

In August 2023, Special Judge Vikas Dhull granted Tytler anticipatory bail, citing his medical conditions, mental health concerns, and advanced age. The court also allowed him ten days to review the CBI’s charge sheet and other documents.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vidhi Gupta Anand had permitted this extension after Tytler’s counsel sought two weeks for document review.

Public Prosecutor Amit Jindal, representing the CBI, argued that three eyewitnesses testified to seeing Tytler arrive at Gurudwara Pul Bangash in a white Ambassador car on November 1, 1984. According to their statements, he incited the mob to destroy the Gurudwara, attack Sikhs, and loot their properties.

Case Title: Jagdish Tytler v CBI (CRL.REV.P.-1186/2024)