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Kalyan to appear before Liberhan panel

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh Friday undertook to appear before the Justice M S Liberhan Commission, probing events leading to the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya, a week after the panel ordered issuance of bailable warrants against him.

While questioning the powers of the commission to summon the former chief minister as a witness or to issue bailable warrants, Singh's counsel B B Saxena said he [Singh] had "every respect" for the panel and if insisted, he would appear before it on August 18 as directed, or afterwards.

Saxena, however, said the undertaking was subject to any order passed by the Allahabad high court, its Lucknow bench or the Delhi high court, where the former chief minister planned to file a writ against the panel's summons.

Justice Liberhan rejected the counsel's plea for at least a month to inspect the file but said bailable warrants may not be issued to Singh in view of the undertaking.

The commission had ordered issuance of bailable warrants against Kalyan Singh, directing him to appear before it on August 18, after he failed to turn up for examination on July 27.

Justice Liberhan, however, had directed that the warrants to secure Singh's presence as a commission witness, be kept in abeyance for seven days subject to his giving an undertaking to appear before the panel on the next date of hearing.

Singh was chief minister of Uttar Pradesh when the disputed structure at Ayodhya was demolished by Kar Sevaks on December 6, 1992.

PTI

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