New Delhi, August 27: Union ministers Kamal Nath, Jagdish Tytler and senior Congress leader Vasant Sathe today denied before the Nanavati Commission, probing the 1984 anti-sikh riots, that they instigated violence in the aftermath of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination.

‘‘It is a case of conspiracy. Other persons were propping up the witnesses to name the leaders for their involvement in the riots,’’ advocate Lavkesh Sawhney, appearing for the three Congress leaders, told the commission in its concluding hearing.

‘‘In fact, Kamal Nath, as a responsible leader had gone near the Gurudwara to pacify the crowd,’’ he said. Sawhney said that the testimony of witness Mukhtiyar Singh was not reliable as, during the recording of his statement, he admitted that the Congress leader was pacifying people, who had gathered around Gurudwara Rakab Ganj in the heart of the city.

He said Singh’s statement was motivated as it came when Lok Sabha elections neared. The advocate said Singh was an unreliable witness as he had not appeared before the earlier commission, which inquired the riots. Sawhney said even the allegation against Sathe was wrong as he was not around the gurudwara when the mob had assembled. ‘‘At that particular time, he was participating in a discussion in Doordarshan and this could be proved from the video tapes kept in the archives,’’ he said.

The advocate said the evidence against Tytler was not reliable as it was submitted by way of an affidavit and that it has come on record that the witness could neither write or understand English. However, senior advocate H S Phoolka, appearing for the Carnage Justice Committee, representing riot victims, said the testimony of the witness against Tytler stands as the Congress leader did not prefer to cross-examine him.

The Justice G. T. Nanavati Commission has issued notices to the three leaders under section 8-B of the Commission of Inquiry Act asking them to produce evidence in their defence as it felt their reputation was likely to be ‘‘prejudicially affected’’ by the inquiry report. Former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao, who was then the home minister was also issued notice as it was alleged that he delayed in calling the Army when the city was burning.