By IANS
New Delhi : Jasbir Singh, key witness of the 1984 anti-sikh riots, will not appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Tuesday, as the agency had asked him though a notice last week.
Jasbir Singh, who is in the US, wants to testify against Congress MP Jagdish Tytler but not in India, as he fears for his life.
The witness’s counsel Navkiran Singh told IANS from Chandigarh that his client is in no position to come to India, even if the investigating agency agrees to provide him with adequate security.
“CBI by sending notices is making flimsy excuses to save itself from the ire of court Jan 16, when they have to inform what they have done so far to record the statement of Jasbir Singh,” said Navkiran Singh.
“The adamant attitude of the CBI to ask the witness to depose before them, despite the law providing an option to record the statement in another court, raises suspicion,” he said.
Navkiran, while insisting the presence of the witness could put his life at risk, alleged that the CBI was working to ensure that Tytler, who is also a former union minister, goes scot-free.
“If the CBI continues to press for the presence of the witness, they will move an application before the court on the next date, citing provisions that enable the witness to record his statement in another court,” Navkiran said.
“Jasbir’s family living in Delhi is also constantly getting threat calls and their life too is in danger,” said the counsel, adding he will move an application before the court asking it to provide security to his client’s family.
The CBI notice followed after Jasbir and his two counsels wrote to the agency Dec 24 last year to record his statement in a US court.
In the notice, the CBI had stated that Jasbir “needs to be examined in-depth and is also required to point out the place in Outram lane area where he had overheard the accused instigating the mob”.
On Dec 6, 2007, Jasbir, whom the CBI had declared as untraceable, had filed an application before the court through his counsel, saying that he was ready to depose as a witness against Tytler.
The Karkardooma Court in Delhi Dec 18 had ordered further investigation in the case and directed the CBI to record the statement of Jasbir. The case will now come up for hearing Jan 16.
On Sep 29 last year, the CBI had recommended the case against Tytler and Kishan Sharma be closed as no evidence could be found against them.