Clean-chit to Tytler in 1984 riots case: 'Upset' Phoolka to file protest petition

Expressing his disappointment over the CBI's move to file a closure report giving clean chit to Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in the 1984 riots case, senior advocate H.S. Phoolka on Wednesday said that he would file a protest petition regarding the same.

Phoolka said it is very unfortunate that the CBI quietly filed the closure report giving clean chit to Tytler on December 24, 2014.

"There has been a hearing in the court after that but this matter has been kept top secret and confidential. Why a matter of such great importance is kept confidential? The people want to know," he told ANI here.

Phoolka also lashed out at the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which is an ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre, for keeping silent on the entire episode despite being aware of the CBI's move in this case.

"The Akali Dal and the Gurdwara Committee were aware of it and even they did not inform the people. When Jagadish Tytler was given a clean-chit in 2009 during the UPA Government, the Akali Dal and the BJP raised such a hue and cry in the Parliament that the house had to be adjourned," Phoolka said.

"Now when their government is in power, they quietly want to ensure that Tytler is given the clean-chit," he added.

The senior advocate further said that he would file a protest petition challenging the clean-chit given by the CBI to Tytler.

"Fortunately, till today, the court had not accepted this clean chit, we will definitely protest (against) this. We would have done this earlier if we were aware of it," he said.

Tytler was among the three prominent leaders named in the reports on anti-Sikh riots case.

The 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which claimed the lives of almost 3000 Sikhs, were triggered by the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by two of her Sikh bodyguards.