Kanpur Court makes UP judiciary history by accepting overseas witness testimony via video call

For the first time in Uttar Pradesh’s judiciary, a witness testified from abroad via video conferencing. The testimony, delivered by a defendant residing in the USA, was part of a property dispute case in Kanpur, following an order from the Allahabad High Court. The testimony was recorded in one of Kanpur‘s local courts on Wednesday.

As per reports, the case concerns an alleged illegal possession of a property by Narendra Singh, who agreed to buy the house from Rajkumari Shah in 2014 but only paid half the agreed sum. Rajkumari and her daughter, Kavita, now living in Chicago, lodged a complaint with the Chief Minister’s office in 2014, leading to the case.

The testimony, held on Wednesday via video conferencing, was facilitated by the Indian Consulate in Chicago, after initial objections from the trial court. The process ran smoothly from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM, with officials from the consulate present.

This case also highlights a dowry harassment charge against Rajkumari in Bihar, which prevented her return to India. As this landmark video testimony unfolds, the case stands as a testament to the increasing use of technology in judicial processes.