Babri mosque demolition case: Special CBI court records statement of accused lodged in jail

Khatri appeared on Tuesday through video-conferencing as he is in Sonipat jail. He had requested the special court to record his statement through video link. The court used video conferencing system for the first time to record statement of any accused under this section.

A special CBI court hearing the 1992 Babri mosque demolition case recorded the statement of accused Ram Chandra Khatri, who is lodged in a Haryana jail in another case. Khatri appeared on Tuesday through video-conferencing as he is in Sonipat jail.

He had requested the special court to record his statement through video link. The court is recording statements of the 32 accused under Section 313 of CrPC to enable them to plead their innocence if they so want. After recording his statement, special judge SK Yadav asked his office to send a copy in pdf form to the Superintendent of Sonipat Jail through the official email id of the district judge.

The court said the jail superintendent will get the signature of Khatri on the hard copy of the statement and send it back through speed post in original. The court used video conferencing system for the first time to record statement of any accused under this section. The court is conducting day-to-day hearings to complete the trial by August 31 as directed by the Supreme Court.