Lucknow: Former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, former UP Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, BJP leader Dr M.M. Joshi and Ram Janambhoomi Trust chairman Nritya Gopal Das will depose before a special CBI court in Lucknow, through video-conferencing from Tuesday in the Babri Masjid demolition case of 1992.
The special CBI court, on Saturday, sent a directive to the director of National Informatics Centre (NIC), a government of India body, to make arrangements for video-conferencing from addresses furnished by these accused, to record their statements under Section 313 of CrPC.
All accused would have to answer at least 1,000 questions based on evidence produced by prosecution agency CBI.
“The special court informs accused about facts and evidence that came up during trial and directs them to give their statement,” said CBI counsel Lalit Singh.
Thirteen accused have deposed so far and the court may follow similar proceedings with others, said Singh.
While Advani will depose on June 30, Joshi on July 1, Singh on July 2, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das on June 23, R.N. Srivastava on June 22, Jai Bhagwan Das on June 24, Amar Nath Goel on June 25, Sudhir Kakkad on June 26 and Acharya Dharmendra Dev on June 29.
Earlier, on Saturday, one of the accused, Ram Chandra Khatri was produced before special judge S.K. Yadav through video-conferencing from district jail, Sonipat, where he is lodged in connection with another case. However, his statement could not be recorded because of poor connectivity.
