Monday, September 5 2005 10:12 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: A Pakistani lawyer representing Sarabjeet Singh, sentenced to life in connection with the 1990 Lahore bomb blast case, said yesterday (Sept 4, 2005) that the new statement of the key witness that he was tutored to give against Singh will be included in the petition seeking review of capital punishment.

"This (statement of Salim Shukat) is a new and additional evidence and I will incorporate it in the review petition," Sarbajeet's lawyer Abdul Hamid Rana told Indian TV channels in Lahore.

He said it is difficult to examine the veracity of the two statements, one given by the witness during the trial of the case and the other given to the TV.

"In case of variation in the statements, the benefit of doubt goes to the accused," the advocate said adding that in law there is a scope to bring the new and additional evidence at any stage for the consideration of the court.