Farooq, Khurana summoned in Kandhar hijacking case

Patiala, Sep 8 (UNI) Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana and official of the Pakistan consulate were summoned by the anti-hijacking court of special designated Judge Inderjit Singh Walia here today to appear before the court as defense witnesses in the Kandhar hijacking case.

Kandhar Aerodrome Authority, superintendent of Tihar Jail, inspector general Jammu and Kashmir police and Delhi Police commissioner were also summoned by the court in this regard.

Mr H V Rai, defense counsel for Yusuf Nepali and Dalip Kumar Bhujel, the prime accused of helping the hijackers of the Indian Airlines Plane, had moved an application seeking summoning of these persons to the court to establish that the hijacking had been allegedly planned by the government of India.

Mr Rai said the summons had been issued under section 233 of the Cr P C that permitted summoning of anybody from anywhere in the world.

He said he had sought production of the list of Pakistan's 20 most wanted persons living in India that was handed over by the Pakistani government to India during the rule of the BJP-led government.

He said the chief of Kandhar aerodrome authority had been summoned to prove that an Afghan plane had brought the Indian's Foreign Minister back to India.

He said some statements issued by Mr Farooq Abdullah and Mr Madan Lal Khurana had brought to light some startling facts that could consolidate defense's case.

Mr Rai said the defence also wanted to verify the records of Tihar jail, from where the three terrorists had been let off to free the hostages. The record could establish that no legal route had been followed by the Union Government to release the three prisoners, he added.

He said the defence would also verify on whose orders the three terrorists had been shifted from the Jammu and Kashmir jail to the Tihar jail, for which the inspector general of the Jammu and Kashmir had also been summoned.

According to Delhi police, one of the hijackers of the Indian Airlines plane had been killed during the attack on the Indian Parliament in December 2001, he said. The Delhi Police Commissioner had been summoned to verify these claims of the Delhi Police. UNI XC VKJ SHB RAI2157