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Key A-I witness questioned for discrepancies

December 17, 2003 11:33 IST

The prosecution in the Air India trial has indicated that it may apply to the court to have the key witness declared hostile, while questioning about major discrepancies in her evidence about Ajaib Singh Bagri -- one of the two accused.

The woman -- who cannot be named because of a publication ban -- was on Tuesday asked by the crown lawyers to explain why her court testimony differs so much from earlier statements she gave to police.

Prosecutor Richard Cairns read from some of them, quoting the witness as saying Bagri asked to borrow her car to take suitcases to Vancouver Airport on the eve of the bombings -- and that only the luggage was going on the plane.

According to the statements, she also provided police with information about Bagri's relationships with other women and his marriage.

But the woman has told the court on Monday she does not remember saying any of those things.

She also testified it's possible she made those remarks to police because 'she always tells the truth'.

On Monday, the witness testified the same statements were false, that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) forced her to sign them, offered her money to testify and threatened her with jail if she didn't cooperate, media reports said.

The prosecution contends the woman is deliberately downplaying her earlier evidence because she's scared. The Crown has indicated it may apply to the court to have the witness declared hostile, which would allow more aggressive questioning.

Bagri and co-defendant Ripudaman Singh Malik are accused in two bombings on the same day in June 1985 that killed 331 people. One explosion killed two baggage handlers at Japan's Narita airport. The other bomb killed 329 people on Air India Flight 182.


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