Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, accused in a criminal defamation complaint filed against him by a senior lawyer representing victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases, on Wednesday told a city court that he was ready to tender an unconditional apology to the advocate to settle the matter.
However, senior advocate HS Phoolka, who is a complainant in the case, refused to accept Tytler’s offer, saying ‘any compromise’ in a serious matter like this would send a wrong message to the people. His response came after Tytler’s counsel told Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Gaurav Rao that his client has offered to tender an unconditional apology as no public interest was involved in the complaint filed by an individual.
“The (alleged) issue is of 2004. We are in 2014. Much time has expired. My client (Tytler) is in public life....And he has not been held guilty by any court... My client will tender unconditional apology,” Tytler’s lawyer told the court.
Phoolka, however, did not accept the suggestions of the court and said, “The matter is of great importance and any settlement will send a wrong message among the people. I can not settle the matter and any compromise is not possible. I will not do this (settlement). Whatever you (judge) want, you may decide but settlement is not possible at all,” he said.
During the arguments, the court asked Phoolka to bring on record the telecasted interview, in which Tytler had allegedly defamed Phoolka, in the form of VCD/DVD so that it could go through the same to ascertain the facts.
The matter is posted for August 2 for further hearing. Phoolka, who has filed the complaint against Tytler, had alleged that the Congress leader had passed a derogatory remark about him in a news programme aired on September 7, 2004. The case against Tytler was filed in a ludhiana court. later on, it was transferred to Delhi by the Supreme Court on Tytler’s plea.