Today, a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court will deliver the verdict on the Babri Masjid demolition case, nearly after three decades of the structure’s razing by a mob in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya town, which in turn caused communal riots and killed around 2000 people.
Accused Vinay Katiyar, Dharamdas, Vedanti, Lallu Singh, Champat Rai, and Pawan Pandey have arrived in the court.
CBI Judge S K Yadav has also arrived the in court. Total 32 people are accused in the case out of which, BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, former ministers Uma Bharti and Kalyan Singh are the key ones. Uma Bharti has tested positive for Coronavirus and LK Advani, Murli Manohar & Nritya Gopal Das will skip hearing on the grounds of age & health.
The charges against the accused comprise of conspiracy, accused of promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion and “prejudicial to national integration and injuring or defiling a place of worship”.
There has been a high alert in Uttar Pradesh. Policemen in civil clothes will guard Ayodhya and 2,000 cops have been deployed at the building that houses the “Ayodhya Prakaran Court” in the Old High Court building in Lucknow. Reportedly, Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel have been assigned in 25 districts which are sensitive.
The CBI filed a charge sheet against 49 people in the case out of which 17 died during the trial. The court has statements of 351 prosecution witnesses.
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