Judgment in Babri Masjid demolition case due on Sept. 30

K.P. Sethunath

The special CBI court is expected to deliver the much-awaited judgment in the Babri Masjid demolition case on September 30 in which senior leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stand as the accused.

Former BJP presdients L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh and former Union Minister Uma Bharti are amongst the prime accused in the case. The special judge Surendra Kumar Yadav has directed all the accused persons to remain present in the court on the day of the judgment.

It may be recalled that the criminal case aganist BJP, RSS, VHP and Bajranj Dal leaders and Karsevakas involved in the demolition of the mosque on December 6, 1992 was pending before the Special CBI court even as the Supreme Court settled the title dispute of the land at Ayodhya.

The Supreme Court on August 19 directed the CBI Special Judge to conclude the proceedings and deliver the judgment latest by September 30.
The BJP leaders facing trial for the demolition of Babri Masjid at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh have been charged for various offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which included promoting enmity between religious groups (section 153A), making statements affecting national integration (section 153B) or which are likely to cause public mischief (section 505).

The Supreme Court on April 19, 2017 had directed the sessions court to complete the trial and deliver its judgment within a period of two years. However, the trial could not be extended. The top court, thus, granted the last extension till September 30. The court had transferred the trial pending in the Court of the Special Judicial Magistrate at Rae Bareilly to the Court of Additional Sessions Judge (Ayodhya Matters) at Lucknow to be heard together.