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, today told a Delhi court that he was ready to tender "unconditional apology" to the advocate to settle the matter.
However, senior advocate H S 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 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 been not held guilty by any court...My client will tender unconditional apology," Tytler's lawyer told the court.
The court asked Phoolka whether he was ready to settle the matter and accept the apology tendered by Tytler as "it is a defamation complaint and it has nothing to do with the riots."
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."
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