A special CBI court in Lucknow has acquitted all 32 accused including prominent BJP leaders L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharati, Kalyan Singh etc. in the nearly three decade old Babri Masijd Demolotion Case. The demolition took place on December 6, 1992.
One of the primary observation in the 2000-page verdict of the Special CBI Judge S K Yadav, was that the demolition of Babri Masjid was not premeditated and that there was no criminal conspiracy by the accused.
Remarks by the Judge
- The Babri mosque demolition was not pre-planned
- There is not enough evidence against the accused
- The authenticity of audio in the video provided by CBI cannot be proved
- Anti-social elements tried to demolish the structure
Babri Masjid Case background
The demolition of the Babri Masjid situated in Ayodhya took place on December 6, 1992, at the hands of kar sevaks who onsidered the site to be the birthplace of Lord Ram.
Soon after, 2 FIRs were filed against the Kar Sevaks and 8 BJP leaders respectively.
Subsequently, the case was later transferred to the CBI.
In the FIR lodged with the CBI, a total of 49 people were named as accused. Out of these, 17 of the accused died during the course of the trial.
Sections instituted during the Babri Masjid Case trial
Commission of offences under Sections 147 (Rioting), 153-A (Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion), 153-B (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) 295 (Injuring or defiling place of worship) 295-A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class), and 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) IPC read with Sections 149 (Unlawful assembly) and 120B (Criminal conspiracy) IPC.
Babri Masjid Demolition Case Timeline
December 1992: Ayodhya-Babri Masjid is demolished.
December 1993: Two FIRs are filed in the Babri Masjid demolition case. One against unknown ‘karsevaks’ and the other against BJP leaders Advani, Joshi and others for allegedly giving ‘communal’ speeches before the demolition.
May 2001: Special CBI court drops proceedings against the accused, including Advani, Joshi, Uma Bharti, Bal Thackeray, and others.
November 2004: CBI challenges the dropping of proceedings against BJP leaders before the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court.
June 2009: The Liberhan commission which was set up to submit a report on all people responsible for the demolition submits its report after 17 years of beginning its its inquiry. It held 68 people responsible for the demolition, mostly leaders from BJP. The report observed that the demolition was planned and illegal.
September 2010: Allahabad HC upholds a lower court order that stated that the two cases based on the two FIRs would be tried separately.
March 2012: CBI approaches Supreme Court seeking a common trial for all the cases.
April 2017: SC restores criminal conspiracy charge against leaders, including L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and former Union cabinet minister Uma Bharti and clubs the trial in the matter pending against VIPs and karsevaks. The top court orders the case to be heard on a day-to-day basis, and that the judge hearing the case would not be transferred.
September 2020: CBI Special court judge S K Yadav delivers verdict in the mosque demolition case wherein all accused are acquitted.
