The Delhi High Court today asked the police to provide additional security to controversial arms dealer Abhishek Verma, a witness in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, as he was receiving threat calls.
The court directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police of South district here to depute two more security personnel for personal security of Verma, his wife and mother till October 10 as he has to undergo a lie detection test between October 3 and 6.
Currently, the police has provided one security personnel to Verma round-the-clock in pursuance to a trial court order.
While Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, who has been given clean chit thrice by the CBI, has refused to undergo the test, Verma had given conditional consent saying he is ready to undergo the test if he was provided round-the-clock security as he feared threat to his life.
"Keeping in view the facts and circumstances, DCP (South) is directed to provide two more security personnel, in total three security persons, to the petitioner (Verma) and his family members till October 10," Justice I S Mehta said.
Advocate Maninder Singh, who appeared for Verma, said he has to appear for lie detection test between October 3 to 6 and has been receiving threatening emails and phone calls that he would be blown up by a bomb or shot dead.
The counsel sought more security for Verma and his family members so that he can appear fearlessly for the test and to keep his confidence.
The plea was supported by senior advocate H S Phoolka, representing the riot victims, saying Tytler was a powerful person and security should be provided to Verma so that he gets confidence to appear for the polygraph test.
Delhi Police standing counsel Rahul Mehra did not oppose the plea and said the agency would abide by the directions passed by the court.
CBI standing counsel Narender Mann said the domain of providing security was of the police and Verma has already been provided with a personal security officer as per a trial court order.
The CBI had earlier told the trial court the government- run forensic science laboratory in Rohini here has confirmed the dates of conducting the test on Verma which will be done from October 3 to 6.
The court had also said that after the test is conducted, the IO shall inform the concerned DCP to reassess the threat perception of Verma, who has been provided round-the-clock security till he undergoes the test.
The CBI's move seeking permission to conduct the polygraph test on Tytler and Verma came after the court's December 4, 2015 order.
The case pertains to the riots at Gurudwara Pulbangash in North Delhi where three people were killed on November 1, 1984, a day after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Tytler, who has denied any role in the riots, was thrice given clean chit by the CBI in the case, but the agency was directed by the court to further investigate the matter. The victims had filed a protest petition challenging the CBI's closure reports in the case.
The agency had reinvestigated the case of killing of Badal Singh, Thakur Singh and Gurcharan Singh near the gurudwara after a court in December 2007 refused to accept its closure report.
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