Beant case: Witness collapses testifying

CHANDIGARH, March 4: High drama prevailed in the court of UT District and Sessions Judge B.S. Bedi today, as a witness collapsed while te...

CHANDIGARH, March 4: High drama prevailed in the court of UT District and Sessions Judge B.S. Bedi today, as a witness collapsed while testifying in the Beant Singh assassination case.

The collapse followed an outburst of the accused who was present in the courtroom, who shouted pro-Khalistani slogans and threatened the witness. Deposing before the Judge, Kirpal Singh, accounts officer Telephone Department stationed at Chandigarh, stated that on September 18, 1995, he received a call from the CBI office and he was asked to come there to attest the disclosure statement of a person. The witness stated that he went to the CBI office accompanied by Finance Director, P.K. Sinha. He said that they met DSP, CBI, A.P. Malik there and after some time, a person who identified himself as Jagtar SIngh Tara, was brought there.

The witness today stated that accused Tara made a statement that on August 20, 1995 he, along with Jagtar Singh Hawara, purchased a vehicle. On August 24, they came to Patiala where they hatched a conspiracy to kill Chief Minister Beant Singh. Later, on August 25, he, along with Hawara, Paramjeet, Balwant Singh and one more person started from Patiala for Chandigarh.

Kirpal Singh added that in his statement, Tara said that Hawara directed him to turn the vehicle towards Chingra Kalan where Hawara got off and brought two bags of explosives on a cycle. The cycle was taken back by a girl and then they all proceeded toward the Chandigarh-Mohali road. The witness stated that he could help recover the explosives. It was at this point that the accused, Tara, denied having made any such statement. The accused also threatened the witness, following which the witness fainted. He was revived and cross examination was resumed. In cross examination, he stated that on September 18, 1995, he had not taken leave to go to the CBI office. He added that he had never met DSP A.P. Singh before that. Tara was not in the room when they went there. He was brought in later by a CBI officer in uniform, stated the witness, adding that Tara made a statement in mixed Punjabi and Hindi, but more of Hindi. He stated that Tara8217;s statement was directly typed by a typist.