M A I N   N E W S

Fake enemy kills: videos allowed as evidence

Jodhpur, June 15
The military court recording summary evidence in Siachen “fake killings” case today witnessed legal wrangling over the significance of video shoots of an encounter.

A legal dispute cropped up during cross-examination of Major Phani Kishore, who succeeded Major Surinder Singh, against whom a court of inquiry had recommended disciplinary action for making “exaggerated claims”.

After questioning on technical aspects of warfare and covering of distances in high-altitude regions, the discussion moved on to video recordings of encounters.

Major Surinder Singh and Major Phani Kishore held different opinion over the video shoots of encounters.

Major Phani Kishore asserted that video recording of encounters was done “by way of interest” only and “not to verify the incident”. Major Surinder Singh claimed the video clips were “compulsory evidence”.

“When an encounter takes place along the LoC, we are concerned only about retaliating and destroying the enemy, and video recording is not our priority when we are engaged with the enemy,” Major Phani Kishore said.

When Major Surinder Singh sought court’s permission to present the “mother copy” of the video of an encounter involving Major Phani Kishore claiming there was something more in the main copy, the witness objected to it causing legal wrangling for about 90 minutes.

The Presiding Officer of the court Brig Phillip Campose, left the court chamber for a brief period to seek legal opinion over the contentious issue.

On his return, he said he would allow videos of both officers to be admitted as evidence. However, Major Surinder Singh insisted on taking into evidence only the master copy being produced by him.

When the court overruled his objection, he commented, “I disagree with you”.

He also sought break in court’s proceedings for consulting his counsel.

Earlier, the video presented by Major Phani Kishore about another encounter in October last year was played in his absence.

Before the legal wrangling, most part of the morning session of the court was devoted to cross-examination of Major Phani Kishore by Major Surinder Singh on technicalities of warfare, firing of guns and covering of distances in high-altitude regions. — PTI