December 19, 2007	Wednesday	Zilhaj 8, 1428

NEW DELHI, Dec 18: An Indian court ruled on Tuesday that investigations against a former minister for his alleged role in a 1984 massacre of Sikhs would continue, reports said.

Federal investigators had sought to end the case against Jagdish Tytler in September, saying a key witness could not be traced to support charges that the minister led an attack on a Sikh temple.

On Tuesday, the court in

New Delhi rejected a request by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to end investigations, the Press Trust of India reported.

The court ruling followed reports in the Indian media that the witness — who the CBI said could not be traced — was now based in the United States and was willing to testify.

Nearly 3,000 Sikhs were killed in riots that broke out after the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. Most of the killings took place in New Delhi.

Senior leaders of Gandhi’s Congress party, which currently rules the country, were accused of inciting mobs.

Several inquiries have been conducted into the riots, but no convictions have been made.

Tytler resigned as minister for expatriate Indians in 2005 after a panel said there were strong suspicions that he organised the riots.—AFP