Babri Masjid Demolition Verdict: All Accused Acquitted

CBI Judge Surendra Kumar Yadav delivered verdict in the Babri Masjid demolition case. He acquitted all the 32 accused in connection with razing down the 16th Century structure 28 years ago (in 1992). The Judge said that the demolition was not pre-planned and that there was no strong evidence to prove it. It was demolished by a mob at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.

While Sadhvi Ritambhara, Sakshi Maharaj, Vinay Katiyar and Champat Rai Bansal were present in the court, three key accused BJP leaders skipped physical hearing. They attended the hearing through video-conferencing. While Uma Bharti tested positive for Coronavirus, Former deputy prime minister L.K. Adavni and BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi sought permission on grounds of health and age.

The 32 accused face charges under various sections of the IPC, including criminal conspiracy, rioting, promoting enmity between different groups and unlawful assembly.

Initially, the court had framed charges against 49 accused, of whom 17 died.

If the accused were convicted, saffron veterans Advani, Joshi, Bharti, Katiyar, Ritambhara, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Bansal, Ram Vilas Vedanti, Dharmadas and Dr Satish Pradhan would face maximum imprisonment up to five years.

In view of the verdict, the UP police sounded high alert across the state. While policemen in civil clothes were on guard in Ayodhya, 2,000 cops were deployed at the building that houses the “Ayodhya Prakaran Court” in the Old High Court building in Lucknow’s Kaiserbagh.

There were reports that Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel have also been deployed in 25 sensitive districts.