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Scribe deposes as defence witness in Parliament attack case
New Delhi, Oct 16: A Delhi court hearing the Parliament attack case today recorded the statements of a journalist who had interviewed Jaish-e-Mohammed militant Mohd Afzal, alleged key conspirator in the attack, during his police custody.
New Delhi, Oct 16: A Delhi court hearing the Parliament attack case today recorded the statements of a journalist who had interviewed Jaish-e-Mohammed militant Mohd Afzal, alleged key conspirator in the attack, during his police custody.
The staff reporter of a national daily, who deposed as a defence witness before special Judge S N Dhingra, said he had interviewed Afzal on December 20, 2001, when he was confined in a special cell of Delhi Police.
He said he had only interviewed Afzal and other accused
persons were not there at that time.
Besides Afzal, JEM militant Shaukat Hussain Guru, his wife Navjot Sandhu alias Afsan Guru and S A R Geelani, a suspended lecturer of a Delhi University college are facing trial in the December 13 Parliament attack case. The scribe told the court that he only reported about the incident once. "I did not make any attempt after this to take the interview of other accused since I was not covering this matter. I was only detailed for the evening of December 20, 2001 for this interview of Afzal," he said.
It was not a formal interview but a media meet and all scribes present were noting down whatsoever was being told by the accused. The court is recording statement of defence witnesses and till now seven of them have deposed before the court. Recording of statements of prosecution witnesses have already been completed.
Bureau Report
Besides Afzal, JEM militant Shaukat Hussain Guru, his wife Navjot Sandhu alias Afsan Guru and S A R Geelani, a suspended lecturer of a Delhi University college are facing trial in the December 13 Parliament attack case. The scribe told the court that he only reported about the incident once. "I did not make any attempt after this to take the interview of other accused since I was not covering this matter. I was only detailed for the evening of December 20, 2001 for this interview of Afzal," he said.
It was not a formal interview but a media meet and all scribes present were noting down whatsoever was being told by the accused. The court is recording statement of defence witnesses and till now seven of them have deposed before the court. Recording of statements of prosecution witnesses have already been completed.
Bureau Report