The Hindu : Liberhan panel asks Kalyan Singh to depose on Sept. 2

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Friday, Aug 08, 2003

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Liberhan panel asks Kalyan Singh to depose on Sept. 2

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI Aug. 7. The Liberhan Commission of Inquiry today granted time to the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Kalyan Singh, till September 2 to adduce evidence as a witness subject to his giving an undertaking that he would appear on that day.

Justice Liberhan had directed Mr. Singh to depose before the Commission today and tomorrow. However, when the matter was taken up today, his counsel filed an application seeking four weeks' time to enable Mr. Singh to peruse the records connected with the Babri Masjid demolition on December 6, 1992.

The counsel said that since the mode of inquiry seemed to be totally against Mr. Singh and the then Government, Mr. Singh's position was like a defendant and not a witness. Mr. Singh had passed hundreds of orders on the files of the Uttar Pradesh Government and had also filed affidavits before the Supreme Court and other authorities, and these would be the subject matter of examination and cross-examination.

Since Mr. Singh was out of Government, he was not in a position to inspect the record and he must be allowed to inspect the whole record of the Commission and the Government, the counsel said and sought time to do so. The Commission accepted the plea and directed Mr. Singh to adduce evidence on September 2 and 3.

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