Within days of the Supreme Court allowing recording of evidence through video conferencing in cases involving witnesses staying abroad, a court in Mysore conducted India's first such long-distance trial on Tuesday.

It was an infringement of copyright case against 20th Century Fox, based in Los Angeles.

The petitioner, Veda Nayak, an NRI settled now in Mysore, has charged the US entertainment giant of making a film based on his novel, Extra Terrestrial Mission without giving him the credit. The film was multi-million dollar production Independence Day.

Nayak is a promoter of NRI Film Productions Ltd based in Mysore.

During the cross-examination, conducted through a video link in a packed court hall, respondent Dean Devalin, a script writer associated with 20th Century Fox, denied the charge.

Principal Sessions' Judge G N Hegde said two more witnesses based in the US would be examined through video-conferencing in the following two days.

Mahendra Associates, a Madras-based communication firm, organised the link, using an ISDN line of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited.

The proceedings, however, were marred by blackouts twice despite the court directing a government-run power utility company to provide uninterrupted power supply during the recording of evidence.

In power-deficient Karnataka, blackouts are common.