Defamation proceedings against Tytler in Punjab court halted

New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) The Supreme Court Friday halted ongoing criminal proceedings in a Punjab court against senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler for allegedly making defamatory remarks against a prominent advocate who is waging a legal battle for justice to the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice P. Sathashivam stayed the ongoing proceedings against Tytler on a lawsuit by him seeking transfer of the proceedings to a court outside Punjab.

After halting the criminal proceedings against the Congress leader -- who is facing an uncertain political future for his alleged role in the anti-Sikh riots in Delhi in the wake of the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi, the bench decided to listen to his plea on Dec 12.

A Ludhiana court had issued a bailable arrest warrant against Tytler on Sept 11 this year on a plea by advocate H.S. Phoolka, who had sought launching of defamation proceedings against the Congress leader.

As per Phoolka's petition to the Ludhiana court, filed in 2004, Tytler had made some defamatory remarks against him during a television show in which both were present.

Tytler later had moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking transfer of the criminal proceeding against him to a Haryana court as he apprehended danger to his life at the hands of Sikh militants.

The trial court had ordered Tytler to appear before it on Nov 28.