State saves Rs 40 lakh by video conferencing

The recent trend of conducting confirmation of cases by the Bombay high court through video conferencing has proved to be economical for the state government.

The recent trend of conducting confirmation of cases by the Bombay high court through video conferencing has proved to be economical for the state government.

The high court conducted the confirmation of case of the three accused in the 2003 Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar blasts, through video conferencing. While accused Ashrat Ansari ,41, and Hanif Sayed ,55, are lodged in the Arthur Road jail, Hanif’s wife Fehmida Sayed ,52,is lodged in Byculla jail.

This is the second case using video conferencing, after Ajmal Kasab’s confirmation of death sentence through video conferencing, which was primarily due to security concerns.

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According to public prosecutor P A Pol and additional public prosecutor Jayesh Yagnik, the state government has saved around Rs40 lakh by resorting to video conferencing. Further various hassles like travel, police escort and other measures involved for production of the accused in court can be avoided.

The sources say that even cases of corruption where police demand money from inmates for producing them in court for hearing can be avoided.