Key witness in anti-Sikh riots case surfaces

New Delhi: Two months after CBI had described him as “untraceable” a key witness in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case involving senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler surfaced on Thursday in the United States and the investigating agency said it would record his statement if he comes to India.

The witness, Jasbir Singh, in California, told news channels that the CBI had never contacted him before and that he was ready to testify before a court in Delhi if he was assured of proper security.

“The fact that you are talking to me means that I am accessible…” Singh said.

Singh, who has filed several affidavits against former Tytler, a former union minister, before various Commissions, told the channel that he was willing to testify before the court and narrate everything provided he and his family’s safety was guaranteed.

He also claimed a Congress councillor had called him five months ago and asked him to change his statement or face dire consequences.

CBI had on September 29, 2007 filed an affidavit in a court here seeking closure of the case against Tytler taking the plea that Singh was untraceable. The agency has been directed by a court here to submit the address of Singh.

CBI Director Vijay Shankar Singh told Times Now that CBI would ensure that if the witness came forward to give his evidence it would record it, further investigate and put it before the court.