Arrange for video conferencing to record statements of 9 Babri accused: CBI court tells NIC

"In this way, the court asked about 1,000 questions from the 13 accused who have deposed so far and the court may follow similar proceedings with the rest of accused," Singh added. In the list, Advani is suggested to depose before the special court on June 30; Joshi on July 1; Kalyan on July 2; RN Srivastava on June 22; Mahant Nritya Gopal Das on June 23; Jai Bhagwan Das on June 24; Amar Nath Goel on June 25; Sudhir Kakkad on June on 26; and Acharya Dharmendra Dev on June 29.

A Special CBI court hearing the Babri mosque demolition case on Saturday directed the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to make arrangements for video conferencing to record statements of nine accused, including including former deputy prime minister L K Advani. "The NIC should be written to ensure the video conferencing facility at the residence of the accused whose list is enclosed along with this order," special judge S K Yadav said.

The office of the court, in compliance with the order, will send a communication to the NIC that comes under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The list comprises the names of BJP veterans Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh; Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Acharya Dharmendra Dev, R N Srivastava, Jai Bhagwan Goel, Amar Nath Goel and Sudhir Kakkad.

These accused have to depose under section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The court prepared a list of about 1,000 questions to be asked from almost all the accused. The trial court framed the questions on the basis of evidence produced by the prosecution agency CBI regarding the complicity of the accused.

"The special court informs an accused about the particular fact and evidence which came during the trial against him and then asks him to speak as to what does he want to tell about this," CBI counsel Lalit Singh said. "In this way, the court asked about 1,000 questions from the 13 accused who have deposed so far and the court may follow similar  proceedings with the rest of accused," Singh added.

In the list, Advani is suggested to depose before the special court on June 30; Joshi on July 1; Kalyan on July 2; RN Srivastava on June 22; Mahant Nritya Gopal Das on June 23; Jai Bhagwan Das on June 24; Amar Nath Goel on June 25; Sudhir Kakkad on June on 26; and Acharya Dharmendra Dev on June 29. The details of their addresses were furnished before the court which had asked for the same so that it could forward the NIC asking it to ensure facility of video conferencing at the residence of these accused.

Earlier, accused Ram Chandra Khatri was produced before the special judge through video conferencing from  District Jail, Sonipat, Haryana where Khatri is lodged in connection with another case. However, his statement could not be recorded because of poor connectivity from Sonipat Jail. Hence, the court fixed July 7 for recording of his evidence from Sonipat jail. The special judge asked the NIC to provide better connectivity. The court has been conducting day to day proceedings in order to conclude the trial by August 31, as directed by the Supreme Court.

The Babri Masjid was demolished in December 1992 by "kar sevaks" who claimed that the mosque in Ayodhya was built on the site of an ancient Ram temple..

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