Clean chit to Tytler: Investigate ex-PM’s role, demands Phoolka

Syed Ali Ahmed

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 4

Senior advocate HS Phoolka, who represents 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims in court, today demanded an inquiry into the alleged role of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh into the CBI’s clean chit to senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler.

Phoolka said the CBI filed a second closure report in the Tytler case in March 2009. But before the closure report, the DIG and other senior officers concerned of the CBI had ordered that there was sufficient evidence against Tytler and a charge-sheet should be filed. They said he should be tried for the murder of three Sikhs at Gurdwara Pulbangash.

But under government pressure, the CBI allegedly overturned the decision and directed that the closure report be filed, Phoolka said in a statement. He further said “when the third closure report was filed, it came to light that the earlier closure report filed in 2009 was managed by Tytler through the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. We demand that a thorough inquiry of this be held.”

Phoolka also demanded an inquiry into the sudden death of Surinder Singh Granthi, a prime witness against Jagdish Tytler, on whose affidavit a case was registered by the CBI against Tytler. He suddenly died within a week of signing an affidavit in favour of Tytler.

Surinder Singh had earlier given a statement against Jagdish Tytler. It is now come to light from the closure report filed in the court by the CBI that Tytler had allegedly paid a hefty amount to Surinder Singh and also put pressure on him through Surinder Singh’s son to change his statement. A week after Surinder Singh allegedly signed an affidavit in favour of Tytler, he died. This raises suspicion.

If Surinder would have been alive he might have spoken the truth in court, incriminating Tytler. The CBI should probe the circumstances leading to the death of Surinder Singh, Phoolka demanded.