Nirpreet Kaur’s Persistence Brings Murder Charges as Tytler Pleads ‘Not Guilty’

In the case of the 1984 anti-Sikh genocide, the determination of one woman, Nirpreet Kaur, has led to the framing of murder charges against INC leader Jagdish Tytler for his alleged involvement in the deaths of three Sikh men at Delhi’s Gurdwara Pul Bangash in November 1984. After the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a closure report three times between 2007 and 2013, Kaur was outraged by the lack of accountability; her father was the genocide victim. Tytler was exonerated, with the court stating they did not have sufficient evidence. However, Nirpreet took it upon herself to find Lakhwinder Kaur, the widow of another one of the victims. Nirpreet successfully located her in Tilak Vihar’s Widow Colony, enabling Lakhwinder to file a protest petition that reopened the case. On 30 Aug, a Delhi court had ordered framing of charges after determining that the CBI had provided enough evidence to move forward (SDW Vol 2 Issue 36, Story 2). On 13 Sep, Tytler pleaded not guilty to charges related to the killing of three men. Advocate Harvinder Singh Phoolka said, ‘It has taken 40 years for this trial to begin. Hopefully, the trial will conclude soon and he (Tytler) will be jailed.’ While Tytler is out on bail, granted by a sessions court on a bond and surety of $1,200 for each charge, he has denied any wrongdoing. Even going as far as saying ‘if there is evidence against me, I’m prepared to hang myself.’ The case remains a point of attack for the INC, with the party’s senior leaders, including Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi, having apologized for the events of 1984.