Six-year-old Anant Gupta, the son of Adobe India's CEO Naresh Gupta, who was kidnapped in 2006, appeared before the court for the first time on Wednesday.
He marked presence along with his mother. His evidence could not be recorded as cross examination was yet not complete.
Anant was kidnapped by two motorcycle-borne men outside his residence in Sector 15 A, a posh locality in Noida on 13 November 2006.
He returned home five days later, in an autorickshaw. Out of Rs 50 lakh ransom paid to kidnappers, police had recovered Rs 47.5 lakh.
The three main accused Chhatrapal, Pawan and Jitender are in jail.
Four other accused, mainly arrested for giving shelter, have been out on bail. Chhatrapal had earlier escaped on February 2008 from court and later again arrested in April 2008.
"I want Anant's evidence recording at the earliest as his memory will fade with each passing day. He was three years old when kidnapped and now he is six and half years old,” Anant's mother Nidhi Gupta told Hindustan Times today.
“At court he did not show any fear. Now we will go whenever court will call us. Time is a great healer. But still I feel some what fear in my son's mind,” she added.
"First I.O. R.R.Dixit's evidence was already recorded. On Wednesday second I.O. B.P.Singh's evidence was recorded,” said Prem Singh, Assistant Prosecution Officer.
“Till late evening his cross examination by accused persons' lawyers was still going on and expected to continue further during next hearing. Anant and her mother were sent home after marking their presence on Wednesday," he added.
“Case proceeding had started at First Additional District & Session Judge Bharat Bhushan in 2006. On June 2008 after his transfer case was being heard by Additional Session Judge Sanjay Harkoli,” said Singh.
“So far 16 witnesses were recorded. Four witnesses mostly relatives of the accused had gone hostile. This will not affect the case,” he added.