Babri Masjid Trial draws to a close: Judgment by the end of month

The decades old Ayodhya Babri Masjid demolition case ends finally

Wednesday, 2nd September 2020

Trial on Babri masjid demolition case ends on Tuesday under the initiative of a CBI Court. During this time various written as well as oral arguments were presented by the lawyers of few of the ones who were the accused in the case.

Special Judge in this case, Mr. S K Yadav is likely to start penning down the case’s verdict from Wednesday onwards and it is hoped that the announcement of the verdict may come by the month’s end. This deadline has been allotted by the Supreme Court of India. In this case that dates back to many decades the list of ‘accused’ include people like Ex-Deputy PM LK Advani, EX-CM of Uttar Pradesh Kalyan Singh and various BJP leaders like Uma Bharti, Sakshi Maharaj, Vinay Katiyar and Murli Manohar Joshi. The total number of accused in this case is 32.

Arguments came in person this Tuesday from Defence legal counsel Mridul Rakesh. Lawyer IB Singh, on the other hand, presented his argument through video conferencing. Mahipal Ahluwalia, LK Advani’s lawyer too attended the legal proceedings via video conferencing.

After recording of the statements coming from all the accused in this case under CrPC’s section 313, arguments were submitted in written at the court this Monday by the defence. Submission of arguments from the prosecution came a week back. Under the CRPC’s Section 313 the accused needs to face the judge’s questionnaire and at that time, the accused too is given the chance to provide explanations against the charges brought against him/her.

During the case’s trial, 354 witnesses of the prosecution were examined by the court. The total number of accused in this case was 49 previously. Out of that number 17 have passed away. The demolition of the Ayodhya Babri masjid took place on the 6th of December, 1992. The demolition was executed by the kar sevaks as the masjid, as per their claims, was constructed on the location of an age old Ram Temple. Following the demolition, two legal cases were lodged in Ayodhya. One of the cases was about the conspiracy involved in the demolition plan whereas the other one was associated with the crowds’ instigation. The trial of the former was being conducted at the Lucknow Court while the latter’s being conducted at the Rae Bareli court. On the 19th of April, 2017, the Supreme Court of India took the decision of clubbing the two cases and setting up a special kind of court; the Ayodhya Prakaran court in Lucknow for concluding the case’s hearing.

Overturning an order of the High Court, the apex court attempted to restore charges against the 13 accused in this case and further, ordered adding of the charges of criminal conspiracy against all those who were facing the trial at the Rae Bareli court.

Last month, the deadline for the trial’s completion was extended by one month until September 30.

Source: Indian Express