The Babri Masjid demolition had triggered riots in many parts of the country that left nearly 2,000 dead.
What are the cases?
The Ayodhya mosque was demolished on December 6, 1992 by ‘kar sevaks’ who claimed that it was built on the site of an ancient Ram temple. Following this, two cases were filed in Ayodhya: one related to the conspiracy of the demolition, and another about instigation of the crowd. The remaining cases were merged with the conspiracy FIR. While the trial in the conspiracy case was being held in a Lucknow court, the hearing of the case involving alleged instigation of the ‘kar sevaks’ was being held at a Rae Bareli court.
The CBI filed its chargesheet in 1993 against 49 accused, of whom 17 died during the course of the trial. The charges in the Rae Bareli case were framed in 2005 while in the Lucknow case, in 2010.
On April 19, 2017, the Supreme Court ordered the clubbing of the two cases and asked for a day-to-day trial to be conducted. The court, while ordering the restoration of charges against 13 accused that the High Court had earlier dropped, also ordered adding criminal conspiracy charges against the accused, including Advani, then facing trial in Rae Bareli.
What has the Supreme Court said?
On September 1, after the statements of all the 32 accused were recorded under section 313 of the CrPC, the defence had submitted written arguments in the court. Under the said CRPC section, a judge questions the accused on the basis of the evidence put before the court, and the accused is given an opportunity to explain the allegations levelled against him.
Last month, the Supreme Court extended till September 30 the deadline for the special CBI court in Lucknow to deliver the verdict in the Babri Masjid demolition case. The earlier deadline had expired on August 31.
DMK president M K Stalin on Wednesday alleged the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has failed to act fairly in the Babri mosque demolition case and that it has become a "caged parrot" of the BJP-led Centre.Despite the Supreme Court's judgment that "the entire structure of the mosque was brought down in a calculated act of destroying a place of public worship," the CBI failed to prove the conspiracy in the case and it was a blow to the rule of law, he said.Destroying any place of worship was injustice and a gross illegal act, Stalin said in a statement reacting to the acquittal of all the 32 accused in the case by a CBI Special Court in Lucknow.
The CBI, which should have acted in an impartial and fair manner with a sense of caution, 'failed' to do so and "has become a caged parrot of the BJP-led Centre today, which is shameful," the DMK chief alleged.
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The NCP on Wednesday said it was not surprised over the special court's verdict acquitting all accused in the Babri masjid demolition case.
"The court has given verdict in the case today. It was expected, and hence, we are not surprised," Maharashtra minister and NCP national spokesperson Nawab Malik said in a video message. The minister said though the accused were acquitted for want of evidence, probe agencies had filed the case based on evidences only. "Rath Yatra was taken out before December 6 (1992). The media of the country was present at the (mosque) site and documented the events. There were photos taken and videos captured. There are contents available on YouTube. But the court has given its verdict and we respect it," Malik said.
Expressing outrage over the verdict of a special CBI court that acquitted all 32 accused, including BJP veteran L K Advani, in the Babri mosque case, AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday called it "obnoxious" and said the central agency should appeal against it. Speaking to reporters, Owaisi in his reaction to the judgement said, "This judgement satisfies the collective consciousness of hindutva and its followers and ideology" He wondered how the court could state that there was no conspiracy in the matter. "Was it a some sort of magic that on December 6 the masjid was demolished? Who called for the assembling of the people over there? Who made sure that they entered over there?" he asked. Owaisi said the CBI should appeal against the judgement "to protect its independence." Terming the CBI court's ruling as "obnoxious," he said he would urge the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to appeal against it.
AIMPLB secretary Zafaryab Jilani said that the judgment pronounced by the special CBI court in the Babri Demolition case was wrong. “We will appeal against the judgment in the High Court,” said the lawyer who was also part of the Babri Action Committee.
Prominent Sunni cleric and All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali said everyone knows how the “Babri masjid was demolished in full public view” and the “law of the land was shredded to pieces”.
“The Muslims if this country have always respected court decisions. In the final judgment of the Babri masjid case, the court had clearly said Muslims had been wrongly deprived of a mosque that had been constructed well over 450 years ago. Then the Supreme Court also said that it was an unlawful destruction. However, if there was a criminal conspiracy, it had to be decided by the court. Now, Muslim organisations will sit together and decide whether it (today’s judgment) has to be appealed or not,” he said.
Lallu Singh, BJP MP from Faizabad, within which Ayodhya falls, and one of the accused, said that the judgment proved that the authorities then had “framed” the BJP leaders in the case. “We were framed by the then authorities, that too three-four days after the incident. The court has said that it was not pre-planned. There were hundreds of volunteers who were angry and raged in Ayodhya that day. They had so much fire in them that they went ahead and pulled down the domes,” Singh told The Indian Express over telephone after the judgment came out.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, said that the verdict proved that justice prevailed however late it may be. “I welcome the Babri Masjid demolition case verdict by a special court in Lucknow, which has acquitted LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti Kalyan Singh and 32 others. This has proved that justice has prevailed however late it maybe,” Singh tweeted.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath: “The judgment has made it clear that then Congress Government had wrongly framed and defamed respected saints, BJP leaders, and office bearers of Vishwa Hindu Parishad out of its politically prejudice and over its politics of vote bank. The public of this country would not leave those responsible for this controversy,” he said.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut: “I and my party Shiv Sena, welcome the judgment and congratulate Advani ji, Murli Manohar ji, Uma Bharti ji and the people who have been acquitted in the case. Verdict saying demolition wasn’t a conspiracy and a result of circumstances, was the expected judgment. We must forget that episode. If the Babri Masjid wasn’t demolished we wouldn’t have seen any Bhoomi Pujan for Ram Mandir.”
Reacting to the acquittal of senior BJP leaders by a special CBI court in the Babri Masjid demolition case, the Congress Wednesday said the verdict runs counter to the 2019 Supreme Court judgment as also the “Constitutional spirit”. The party asked the central and Uttar Pradesh governments to file an appeal against the decision of the special court.
Congress communication department head Randeep Surjewala said the “entire country (had) witnessed a deep-rooted political conspiracy by BJP-RSS and its leaders” to destroy the country’s “communal amity and brotherhood for usurping power at any cost”.
“The then BJP Government of Uttar Pradesh was a co-conspirator in the designed attack on India’s Constitutional ethos. So much so that the Supreme Court was misled by filing a wrong Affidavit on oath. It is only after detailed examination of all these aspects, facts and evidence that the Supreme Court held the demolition of Masjid to be “an egregious violation of the rule of law”,” he said. Read more
A timeline:
1528: Babri Masjid built by Mir Baqi, commander of Mughal emperor Babur.
1885: Mahant Raghubir Das files plea in Faizabad district court seeking permission to build a canopy outside the disputed structure. Court rejects the plea.
1949: Idols of Ram Lalla placed under central dome outside the disputed structure.
1950: Gopal Simla Visharad files suit in Faizabad district court for right to worship the idols of Ram Lalla. Paramahansa Ramachandra Das files suit for continuation of worship and keeping the idols.
1959: Nirmohi Akhara files suit seeking possession of the site.
1961: UP Sunni Central Waqf Board files suit for possession of the site.
Feb 1986: Local court orders the government to open the site to Hindu worshippers.
Aug 1989: Allahabad HC orders status quo in respect of the disputed structure.
Dec 6, 1992: Babri Masjid demolished.
Dec 1992: Two FIRs filed in the case. One against unknown kar sevaks for demolition of the mosque. The other names BJP leaders L K Advani, M M Joshi and others for allegedly giving communal speeches before the demolition. Read more
Lallu Singh, BJP MP from Faizabad within which Ayodhya falls, and one of the accused, said that the judgment proved that the authorities then had “framed” the BJP leaders in the case. “There were hundreds of volunteers who were angry and raged in Ayodhya that day. They had so much fire in them that they went ahead and pulled down the domes,” Singh told The Indian Express over the telephone after the judgment came out.
“The leaders including Ashok Singhalj were trying to stop them. But they had fire inside them. The leaders had no role in it. But the authorities for their political purpose framed charges. The court has given the right verdict which has re-confirmed the faith and honor people of India have in judiciary,” Singh said.
Asked about the Liberhan Commission report that held several BJP leaders responsible for the demolition of the 16th-century mosque, Singh said: “That report had malafide intentions. It was influenced by the then political leadership.”
Reacting to the Babri verdict, the Congress today said the verdict runs counter to the 2019 Supreme Court Judgement as also the Constitutional spirit. The party asked the Central and Uttar Pradesh Governments to file an appeal, against the decision of the Special Court. The Congress said the “entire country (had) witnessed a deep-rooted political conspiracy by BJP-RSS and its leaders to destroy the country’s communal amity and brotherhood for usurping power at any cost.”
“The then BJP Government of Uttar Pradesh was a co-conspirator in the designed attack on India’s Constitutional ethos. So much so that the Supreme Court was misled by filing a wrong Affidavit on oath. It is only after detailed examination of all these aspects, facts and evidence that the Supreme Court held the demolition of Masjid to be “an egregious violation of the rule of law”,” Congress communication department head Randeep Surjewala said.
“Every Indian, who has innate faith in the Constitution as also in the spirit of Communal amity and brotherhood, expects and urges the Central and State Governments to file an Appeal, against the decision of the Special Court founded in error and follow the letter of the law and the Constitution, without any partiality and pre-meditated prejudice. This is the true calling of rule of law and our Constitution,” he added.
Prominent Sunni cleric and All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali said everyone knows how the “Babri masjid was demolished in full public view” and the “law of the land was shredded to pieces”.
“The Muslims if this country have always respected court decisions. In the final judgment of the Babri masjid case, the court had clearly said Muslims had been wrongly deprived of a mosque that had been constructed well over 450 years ago. Then the Supreme Court also said that it was an unlawful destruction. However, if there was a criminal conspiracy, it had to be decided by the court. Now, Muslim organisations will sit together and decide whether it (today’s judgment) has to be appealed or not,” he said.
Veteran BJP leader LK Advani, who was acquitted by a special CBI court on Wednesday in the Babri mosque demolition case, welcomed the court verdict by chanting 'Jai Shri Ram', and said it came in "footsteps of another order which paved the way for my dream of seeing a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya". It is a very important decision and a matter of happiness for us. When we heard the news of the court's order, we welcomed it by chanting Jai Shri Ram," Advani said in a video message. Later in a statement, he said the "judgment came in footsteps of another verdict which paved way for my dream of seeing a Ram Mandir at Ayodhya".
LK Advani greeting media outside his house
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also spoke Lal Krishna Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi over the phone and congratulated them for the verdict. He welcomed the judgment and said that the victory has been of truth. He further said that the judgment has made it clear that then Congress Government had wrongly framed and defamed respected saints, BJP leaders, and office bearers of Vishwa Hindu Parishad out of its politically prejudice and over its politics of vote bank. “Public of this country would not leave those responsible for this controversy,” said Adtiyanath.
LK Advani, who was acquitted by the court today, welcomed the verdict. "The judgment vindicates my personal and BJP's belief and commitment toward the Ram Janmabhoomi movement," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI
AIMPLB secretary Zafaryab Jilani said that the judgment pronounced by the special CBI court in the Babri Demolition case is wrong. "We will appeal against the judgment in the High Court," said the lawyer who was also part of the Babri Action Committee.
"It's a historic decision by the court. This proves that no conspiracy was hatched for December 6 incident in Ayodhya. Our program and rallies were not part of any conspiracy. We are happy, everyone should now be excited about Ram Mandir's construction," BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said after the verdict, news agency ANI reported. Joshi, along with LK Advani and Uma Bharti, are among the 32 who were acquitted today by the court. Joshi (86) was not present in the court today.
Welcoming the Babri verdict, Defence Minister Rajanth Singh tweeted, "It has been proven that justice triumphed however late it may be."
Minutes after the Babri verdict was pronounced, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad arrived at the residence of BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani. Advani was among the 32 who were acquitted by the court today. Advani (92) was not present in the court today.
Charges were framed against 48 people, but 16 had died during the course of the trial. The 32 accused persons include former deputy prime minister Advani, former Union minister Joshi and Uma Bharti, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh, during whose tenure the structure was pulled down, besides Vinay Katiyar and Sadhvi Rithambara.Over two dozen of 32 accused were present. Advani (92), Joshi (86), Bharti (61), Singh (88), Nritya Gopal Das and Satish Pradhan were not present in court.
The court observed that the accused are being acquitted due to the lack of evidence. Twenty-six out of the 32 accused were present in the special court when the judgment was pronounced.
In one of the first reactions to the Babri conspiracy case verdict, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi tweets "Jai Shri Ram". "All the accused, including Advaniji, acquitted. There was no pre-planned conspiracy to demolish the Babri structure," he adds.
Nearly thirty years after the Babri Masjid was razed by a mob in Uttar Pradesh, a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Wednesday acquitted all 32 accused citing lack of evidence. A prosecution lawyer told The Indian Express that the court has acquitted all the accused.
CBI Judge S K Yadav has begun reading the verdict. Twenty two accused are present in the courtroom
Ahead of the pronouncement of verdict in the Babri mosque demolition case by a special court here, a multi-layered security apparatus was put in place in the vicinity of the Old High Court building. Wooden barricades were erected near most of the cross sections in the vicinity of the court building, and movement of buses from the Kaisarbagh bus stand diverted. Vehicular movement on the roads adjoining to the court building was also minimised. As the accused persons started arriving, cops allowed them entry after verifying their details. Supporters were stopped at the barricades itself. Mediapersons were not allowed to enter the court building. Most of the shops in the vicinity of the courts remained closed in view of the pronouncement of the verdict. Lucknow's Commissioner of Police Sujeet Pandey also took stock of security arrangements. (PTI)
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had extended the tenure of Allahabad trial court judge SK Yadav, directing him to complete the trial and deliver the verdict in Babri Masjid demolition case. The 60-year-old judge was to retire in 2019, but he has been given extensions by the top court to hear the high- profile case which he has been handling since 2015.
The top court had in May asked special judge S K Yadav to control the proceedings in accordance with law so that the time-frame is no longer breached. It had indicated to the special judge to avail the facilities of video conferencing to complete recording of evidence and hearing of applications that are filed during the course of trial proceedings.
During the trial, the court examined 354 prosecution witnesses. Of the total 49 accused booked in the case, 17 have died. The Ayodhya mosque was demolished on December 6, 1992 by ‘kar sevaks’ who claimed that it was built on the site of an ancient Ram temple. Following this, two cases were filed in Ayodhya: one related to the conspiracy of the demolition, and another instigation of the crowd. The remaining cases were merged with the conspiracy FIR. While the trial in the conspiracy case was being held in a Lucknow court, the hearing of the case involving alleged instigation of the ‘kar sevaks’ was being held at a Rae Bareli court.
On April 19, 2017, the Supreme Court clubbed both the cases and set up a special court (Ayodhya Prakaran) in Lucknow to conclude the hearing.
Veteran BJP leader Uma Bharti, who could not find a place in the party’s newly constituted team of office-bearers, has written an emotional letter to BJP president J P Nadda. Writing about the upcoming judgment in the Babri Masjid demolition case, which will be pronounced by the CBI court on September 30, Bharti said she would be present in court that day. “I don’t know what the judgment will be, but I will not seek bail on Ayodhya matter,” she wrote, asking Nadda if he would like to retain her in his team in this situation. Bharti also said that she fought for the Ram temple and Ram Rajya.
CBI judge SK Yadav will pronounce the judment today.
In 2001, a trial court had dropped proceedings against 21 of the accused. The verdict was upheld by the High Court. However, on April 19, 2017, the Supreme Court had ordered restoration of the conspiracy charges and ordered daily hearing in the case, with trial to be concluded in two years.
The charges of conspiracy are in addition to the existing charges against the accused of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, for which they are also facing trial. The accused are also facing charges of having made assertions “prejudicial to national integration and injuring or defiling a place of worship”.
The accused in the case include BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, former ministers Uma Bharti and Kalyan Singh, among others. Of the 49 accused, 32 are alive today. While the court has directed all the 32 accused to be present in the court, there was no clarity on Tuesday on how many will come.
Nritya Gopal Das and another accused, VHP vice-president Champat Rai, are the head and chief secretary of the Shri Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust set up to build the Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. They were present when Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the temple, on August 5. The other accused include Unnao MP Sakshi Maharaj, Faizabad MP Lallu Singh, Gonda MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Vinay Katiyar, and Sadhvi Ritambhara.
Accused Vinay Katiyar, Dharamdas, Vedanti, Lallu Singh, Champat Rai and Pawan Pandey have reached Lucknow, news agency PTI reported
"Before the CBI court’s verdict, are the 32 accused of the conspiracy of the demolition of Babri Masjid asking themselves if they are victors because the domes were pulverised, or is the “Muslim side” asking itself if a guilty verdict will be their victory? For answers, look back in awe at the great Hindu epic-savants who held that in life there are no victors and no survivors," writes Nalini Singh in this opinion piece
After the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992, two separate cases were filed at Ram Janmabhoomi police station in Faizabad.
The first was filed at 5.15 pm by the then SHO, Priyamvada Nath Shukla, against unknown kar sevaks. This was under IPC sections 395 (dacoity), 397 (robbery or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from duty), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class), 297 (trespassing on burial places, etc) and 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony). Police also invoked Section 7 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act.
The second FIR was filed 10 minutes later by sub-inspector Ganga Prasad Tiwari, in-charge of Ramjanmabhoomi police outpost, against eight persons including senior BJP leaders — L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Ashok Singhal (now deceased), Giriraj Kishore (deceased), Vishnu Hari Dalmia (deceased), Vinay Katiyar, Uma Bharti and Sadhvi Ritambhara. This was under IPC sections 153-A, 153-B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief).
Between December 6 and 21, police registered 47 more FIRs, mostly relating to assault on and looting of media persons during the demolition.
Ahead of the verdict today, security has been heightened in Lucknow. The court has asked all 32 accused to be present in the court