The verdict by a special court in the Babri Masjid demolition case comes 28 years after kar sevaks razed the 16th century mosque and almost a year after the Supreme Court settled the land case in favour of a Ram temple at the disputed Ayodhya site.
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.
- Oct 1993: CBI files composite charge sheet accusing Advani and others of conspiracy.
- May 2001: Special CBI court drops proceedings against Advani, Joshi, Uma Bharti, Bal Thackeray and others.
- Nov 2004: CBI challenges before the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court the dropping of proceedings against BJP leaders on technical grounds. Court issues notices.
- May 2010 : High court dismisses plea. Says no merit in CBI’s revision petition.
- Sep 2010: In a 2:1 majority, HC rules three-way division of disputed area between Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
- May 2011: SC stays HC verdict on Ayodhya land dispute.
- Feb 2011: CBI moves Supreme Court against high court order in the mosque demolition case.
- Mar 2017: SC indicates it may consider reviving conspiracy charge against the BJP leaders in Babri Masjid demolition case.
- SC suggests fresh attempts to resolve Ayodhya dispute.
- Apr: SC favours time-bound completion of trial in the case and reserves order on CBI’s plea.
- SC restores criminal conspiracy charge against leaders including Advani, Joshi and Uma Bharti and clubs the trials in the matters pending against VIPs and kar sevaks.
- Nov 2019: SC grants entire disputed land in Ayodhya to deity Ram Lalla, directs govt to allot an alternative five-acre plot to Muslims to build mosque.
- Aug 2020: PM Narendra Modi conducts ‘bhoomi pujan’ in Ayodhya, launches construction of Ram temple.
- Supreme Court extends by a month the deadline for completion of trial in the Babri Masjid demolition case.
- Sep 30: Special Judge S.K. Yadav delivers judgment in the mosque demolition case, all accused acquitted.
