The Hindu : Warrant against Kalyan Singh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 03, 2003

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Warrant against Kalyan Singh

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI SEPT. 2. Annoyed by the "defiant stand" of the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Kalyan Singh, the Justice Liberhan Commission today issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against him for his appearance to adduce evidence on September 23 and 24.

Recently Mr. Singh had issued a statement alleging that the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, were "involved" in the conspiracy to demolish the disputed structure at Ayodhya.

Thereafter, following an application from the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board to secure the presence of Mr. Singh as a witness, the Commission ordered his appearance on August 7 and 8. However, on August 7, Mr. Singh's counsel sought time to peruse the records and, accordingly, it was agreed by the counsel that Mr. Singh would appear today.

But Mr. Singh moved the Delhi High Court on Monday challenging the order but the court declined to stay the order and posted the case for further hearing on September 5.

Today, Mr. Singh's counsel failed to appear before the Commission citing the changed political situation in Uttar Pradesh and sought adjournment on the ground that the confidence motion to prove the Mulayam Singh Government's majority might be taken up either today or tomorrow.

However, the Commission declined the request to adjourn the hearing and issued the non-bailable warrant.

Asked whether the Commission was empowered to issue an NBW, sources said the Commission was vested with the powers of a civil court and that it could do so to secure the presence of witnesses. If Mr. Singh was unable to get a stay on the NBW from the High Court or the Supreme Court, he would be arrested and produced before the Commission on September 23.

Expressing its "anguish" over Mr. Singh's application seeking adjournment by a month, the Commission said that its tenure was coming to an end on December 31 and the former Chief Minister's evidence had to be appreciated for the purpose of a final report.

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