Delhi High Court Greenlights Virtual Testimony in Sensitive Arms-Related Trial

The Delhi High Court has permitted the recording of testimony from a US-based witness via video conferencing in a 2012 case related to the Official Secrets Act. The case involves arms dealer Abhishek Verma. The decision overturns a trial court's ban and sets strict conditions for maintaining confidentiality.

The Delhi High Court has sanctioned the virtual recording of evidence from a US-based witness in a case tied to the Official Secrets Act, dating back to 2012. The case accuses arms dealer Abhishek Verma and involves sensitive materials, necessitating stringent security measures during testimony.

The Court's decision reverses an earlier ruling by a trial court, which had obstructed the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) request for the video conference testimony. Justice Sanjeev Narula underscored the need for regulation, rather than prohibition, of sensitive material handling, assuring that legal safeguards would ensure trial integrity.

The CBI asserted the necessity of this arrangement due to the witness's health constraints and emphasized that video conferencing is permissible under the Official Secrets Act. The testimony will occur on an encrypted platform, avoiding any breach in confidentiality, with all proceedings confidentially conducted in-camera.

(With inputs from agencies.)