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Liberhan panel rejects plea to summon PM

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI July 28. The Liberhan Commission of Inquiry today rejected the demand to summon the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, for examination as a witness and also to recall the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, whose examination has been completed.

Mr. Justice Liberhan, however, directed the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Kalyan Singh, to appear before the Commission on August 7 and 8 for adducing evidence as a witness.

In his 17-page order, he pointed out that the facts referred to by counsel for summoning Mr. Vajpayee "are the inference to be drawn from the evidence already on record".

"No useful purpose would be served by summoning the Prime Minister at this stage of inquiry as advised by the counsel for the Commission," he added, rejecting the application of Mohd. Aslam Bhure in this regard.

Mr. Justice Liberhan said he had closed the recording of evidence by Mr. Advani on January 29, 2002, subject to the condition that counsel for Mohd. Aslam Bhure put forward in an affidavit all the facts he had relied on and the questions he proposed by way of further cross-examination. But this had not been done till date.

With regard to Mr. Singh, the Commission Chairman said the former Chief Minister was a "pivotal witness", especially in the context of rumours or reports about a conspiracy. "And if there is any conspiracy, by whom, apart from questions of security, mobilisation of movement, etc., the matter can be more fully, effectively and justly gone into after recording the statement of Kalyan Singh."

The Commission was of the view that it was in the public interest that truth be unveiled and placed before Parliament in spite of any individual taking any stand from time to time according to expediency. He said in the public interest and to subserve the cause of justice, the examination of Kalyan Singh — "especially after the recent exposure made by him in the media" — was essential and directed his appearance for cross examination.

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