Staff Reporter
Guwahati: The trial proceedings in the Zubeen Garg death case continued on Monday, with four witnesses summoned before the fast-track court. Of those who deposed today, Rahul Goswami, a lawyer in the Jorhat Bar Association, proved to be a good witness and gave correct answers, according to Special Public Prosecutor Ziaul Kamar.
Speaking to the media, Kamar said, “In order to establish a case, the version of those who filed the FIRs should come to the fore. There is no hard and fast rule regarding this. The prosecution has drawn up a strategic map. We will take the statements of all those who filed the FIRs. The FIR filed by a lawyer in Morigaon was the first FIR, and the case was registered based on it. The rest of the FIRs were merged with the original FIR. We think the FIRs were filed on the basis of emotion, and those who filed them may be in possession of some facts. Therefore, we are taking their statements first. We have prepared a roadmap, a chart, as to whom to call when. A case is not won simply on the strength of the law. There is strategy involved. We’ve divided the witnesses accordingly, and the NRIs from Singapore will be summoned according to the time specified or when their time comes.
On the summoning of witnesses, Kamar said, “We have established the case by calling on the witnesses who filed FIRs. After this stage, we will have to bring in the medical evidence. Our team will decide on when to bring in the evidence. We’ll also have to bring in the bank’s witnesses regarding the siphoning of money. As a legal officer of the court, it is clear that there is no need to summon so many witnesses filing FIRs. We will restrict ourselves to the summons issued until June 20. If required, there is provision to summon the other witnesses later.”
Regarding summons to the NRIs in Singapore, he said, “If summons are served to them but they do not appear, we will pray before the court to issue warrants. They are witnesses and are bound to come, although their statements were recorded by the court when they came here earlier. We want them to come. If they say they have any problems in coming here, the court will examine their issues and take a decision accordingly.”
Of the four witnesses summoned before the fast-track court today, three deposed while one remained to be examined.
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