Babri mosque demolition trial: Shiv Sena leader’s statement to be recorded thru video link

A special CBI court will record the statement of Shiv Sena leader Satish Pradhan in the Babri mosque demolition case through video conference on Wednesday.

A special CBI court will record the statement of Shiv Sena leader Satish Pradhan in the Babri mosque demolition case through video conference on Wednesday. "Since the video link facility to record statements under section 313 of the CrPC is now functional in the court, let the file be put up on Wednesday for recording the statement of accused Satish Pradhan," Special Judge S K Yadav said.

The court also said it would record the statement of another accused Ram Chandra Khatri from Sonipat jail on July 21. Khatri is in jail in another case. This will be for the first time that the statement will be recorded through video link in the ongoing Babri mosque demolition trial. The court had earlier fixed July 18 as the next date of hearing but the NIC told it that due to a statewide lockdown on each Saturday and Sunday in the state, it would not be possible to make arrangements on the said date. Hence the court changed the date.

The court has already fixed July 16 for recording statement of accused Santosh Dubey, the national president of Dharmasena. The trial in the Babri mosque demolition case is at the stage of recording of statements of accused persons under section 313 of CrPC after the completion of the examination of prosecution witnesses.

During the recording of their statements under section 313 of the CrPC, accused persons are given a chance to argue against the prosecution evidence against them. Out of 32 accused, the special court has already recorded statements of 25 accused.

Former deputy prime minister L K Advani, BJP leader M M Joshi and some other accused are yet to depose in the court. Advani, Joshi and Pradhan had requested the court to have their statements recorded through video link owing to their old age..

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