CBI team records testimony in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in San Francisco

New Delhi, Dec.26 (ANI): A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team has started the process of recording evidence of Jasbir Singh, a witness of 1984 anti-Sikh riots case involving the then parliamentarian Jagdish Tytler.

The testimony of Jasbir Singh started 11.30 a.m (U.S time) on Thursday and lasted till 5.00 p.m on Christmas Day at GADAR Memorial, San Francisco, CA. The testimony will continue on Friday.

The two-member CBI team, which is visiting the U.S, recorded the statement of Jasbir Singh for four hours in San Francico. The testimony, however, was scheduled to resume on December 26.

The testimony of the other witness Surinder Singh was recorded by the CBI team on Dec.23 in New York.

The decision of the CBI to record statements of key witnesses Jasbir Singh and Surinder Singh in the United States has been welcomed by the 1984 riot victims.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a New York based Attorney, who is advocating the case of Surinder Singh and Jasbir Singh told the ANI over phone that the arrival of CBI team in the over two decades old case has strengthened their hope to get justice under the Constitution of India.

Around three thousand Sikhs were reportedly killed in the communal riots that followed the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. It has been alleged that Jagdish Tytler provoked public fury against the Sikh community after the assassination .

On September 29, 2007, CBI filed a closure report regarding Jagdish Tytler's role in massacre of Sikhs, stating witness Jasbir Singh could not be traced and other witness Surinder Singh has refused to record statements.

On December 18, 2007 Sanjiv Jain, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi Court ordered CBI to re-investigate the role of Jagdish Tytler in the riots and record the statement of key witness Jasbir Singh.

Sikhs For Justice, a New York-based human rights group, is fighting the legal battle in association with All India Sikh Students Organization, President Karnail Singh Peermohammad . y Ravinder Singh Robin (ANI)