NEW DELHI, Nov 4: The 1984 anti-Sikh riot case-hearing today took a dramatic turn, when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told the Delhi High Court (HC) that it would register two first information reports (FIRs) and probe into the alleged role of former Union Minister Jagdish Tytler in the killings.

The Bench, comprising Justice Anil Dev Singh, however, directed the CBI to take into consideration the written complaint given to the then Station House Officer (SHO) of Sabzi Mandi police station Jai Bhagwan during the investigations.

It has been alleged that three Sikhs -- Surinder Pal Singh, Darshan Singh and Jagjit Singh -- were killed on November 1, 1984, by a mob allegedly incited by the then MP, Tytler, in the Sabzi Mandi area of North Delhi.

Interestingly, Jai Bhagwan, who was posted as an SHO at Sabzi Mandi police station did not stop the mob from indulging in killings and looting, the CBI contended.

Jamuar submitted that the agency would also probe the alleged role of the then Assistant Commissioner of Police Raghbir Singh Malik and Jai Bhagwan as they had allegedly failed to adequately check mob frenzy.

On August 26, it may be noted, Justice Singh had asked the investigating agency to reinvestigate the death of three Sikhs following a joint petition by Rajwant Kaur, Dilbagh Singh and Balwinder Kaur.

Accusing the police, the counsel for petitioner BS Singh and DS Dalal, submitted that the police had not conducted any investigation into the written complaints lodged by their clients.

The Court today quelled the former assistant commissioner's apprehension that the mention of his name in the August 26 order would prejudice the investigation. The Bench said: ``The apprehension is misconceived as the order does not amount to indictment.''

The petitioners had charged that though the police had registered an FIR on their complaint alleging that Tytler had come to Kabir Basti at Malka Ganj on November 1 and incited a mob, which had then gone on to ``burn alive'' and injure scores of Sikhs, no investigation had been carried out.

It may be noted that the Jain-Banerjee panel recommended the reopening of the investigation, on the basis of an affidavit filed by one of the petitioners.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.