Criminal conspiracy: Advani, Joshi, Uma & 9 others to face charges in Babri demolition case
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders LK Advani, MM Joshi, Uma Bharti and nine others will face charges of criminal conspiracy under Section 120 B of the IPC in the Babri Masjid demolition conspiracy case of 1992.
The special CBI court hearing the case rejected the discharge petition filed by the 12 accused whom the court earlier granted bail on a surety of Rs 20,000 each.
In his order the judge said that there was enough evidence against accused Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Vinay Katiyar, Vishnu Hari Dalmia, Uma Bharti and Sadhvi Ritambhara for framing of charges under section 120 B of the IPC.
Against other accused like Dr Ramvilas Vedanti, BL Sharma, Champat Rai Bansal, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Dharmdas and Satish Pradhan charges will be framed under sections 120 B, 153A, 153 B, 295, 295 A and 505 of the IPC.
Six of the accused – LK Advani, MM Joshi, Uma Bharti, Sadhvi Ritambhara, Vinay Katiyar, and Vishnu Hari Dalmia – were among those granted bail today.
Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, BL Sharma, Mahant Dharmdas, Champat Rai and Ram Vilas Vedanti and Satish Pradhan were granted bail earlier.
All the accused, along with BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj and Pawan Pandey (Shiv Sena), were present in the court as the charges were to be framed, but 19 accused including Lalloo Singh and Brij Bhushan Saran Singh were exempted from appearance on Tuesday.
Immediately after being granted bail, the accused petitioned for the charges to be dropped.
Das, BL Sharma, Mahant Dharmdas, Champat Rai and Ram Vilas Vedanti were granted bail on 20 May but were present in court as the charges were to be framed.
After being granted bail, the accused had petitioned that the charges against them be dropped.
Being the Governor of Rajasthan, Kalyan Singh enjoys constitutional immunity from trial.
The case so far
After the Babri Masjid demolition, two separate cases were filed –
– One against unknown persons (kar sewaks) for bringing down the structure
– The other against BJP and VHP leaders for their provocative speeches and conspiracy.
Both the cases were initially being heard separately, but the Supreme Court ordered for a joint trial in the cases.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi went to meet Advani, Joshi and Uma Bharti at the VVIP Guest House before they left for their court appearance. Adityanath’s guru, Mahant Avaidyanath, was one of the accused in the conspiracy case but he is no more.
Mahant Adityanath was jailed for installing the idols of Lord Ram in the Babri Masjid in 1949.
The prominent role played by the two head priests of the Gorakhnath Temple in the Ram Janmbhoomi movement, prompted Ram Vilas Vedanti to say that Adityanath and Narendra Modi will together ensure that a grand temple is constructed in Ayodhya.
Picking the right words
What was significant was Vedanti’s and Nritya Gopal Das’ assertion that they alone were responsible for the demolition of Babri Masjid.
“It was I who got the structure over the temple demolished on 6 December 1992. Advaniji and Joshiji are innocent. I have openly stated this. Now that the BJP is in power in Uttar Pradesh and at the Centre, I am confident that Chief Minister Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will jointly get a grand temple constructed in Ayodhya,” Vedanti told the media.
Nritya Gopal Das said that he alone was responsible for the demolition.
While Vedanti said it was he who led the structure’s demolition, Sakshi Maharaj refused to use the term ‘structure’.
“Structure nahin tha (there was no structure),” the BJP MP said asserting that it was a dilapidated temple which he demolished.
“Stop saying Babri Masjid,” he ordered the journalists.
“Maine kab manaa kiya ki maine Ram ka ghar toda (when did I deny that I demolished Lord Ram’s abode),” he said adding that he did nothing wrong.
Uma Bharti too was brazen.
“It was not a conspiracy but a movement. I don’t consider myself a criminal. I was present in Ayodhya on 6 December. I participated in the movement with full faith,” the union minister told the media.
For Vinay Katiyar there were no criminals at the site on 6 December.
Zafaryab Jilani, the convener of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, said that there was nothing unusual about the accused being granted bail as in such cases accused are not sent to jail.
Although the Supreme Court has asked the CBI special court to finish the trial in two years, senior criminal lawyer IB Singh said that with over 500 witnesses to be examined, he didn't see an early end to the case.
Edited by Jhinuk Sen
First published: 30 May 2017, 15:58 IST