Babri Masjid demolition case | Special CBI court to pronounce verdict on September 30

All 32 accused, including L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharti, have been told to appear in court.

Kar sevaks bring down the Babri Masjid in 1992. | File

The judgment in the Babri Masjid demolition case will be delivered by a Special CBI court in Lucknow on September 30, almost 28 years after the Mughal-era structure in Ayodhya was razed to the ground. Special Judge S.K Yadav has directed all the 32 accused to appear in court. Among the accused are senior BJP leader L.K. Advani and his colleagues Murli Manohar Joshi , Uma Bharti and Kalyan Singh . Mr. Singh was Chief Minister of U.P. when Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992.

The Special CBI court framed charges of criminal conspiracy against Mr. Advani and several other accused in 2017.

The Hindu editorial on December 7, 1992 on Babri Masjid demolition

 

K.K. Mishra, one of the defence lawyers, said it was mandatory for the accused to be present in court in case they were convicted and needed to be taken into custody. “The law says they will have to be present when the judgment is pronounced,” he said when asked if senior accused like Mr. Advani and Mr. Joshi, who had recorded their statement via video conferencing, would be able to make it in person. “It needs to be discussed what arrangement the court will make for those who are unable to attend.”

“I can't comment at this moment who will come and who will not,” Mr. Mishra said.

All 32 accused told to appear in Special CBI court that day.