Five key accused in Babri Masjid demolition case will not appear in CBI court on September 30

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The verdict on the Babri Masjid demolition case will be delivered by Judge SK Yadav on September 30, nearly 28 years after the Mughal era structure was destroyed by Hindu hardliners on December 6, 1992. All 32 accused persons were directed to appear in the special court when the verdict is pronounced.

The accused include some of India’s senior-most politicians, such as former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani, former Union ministers Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh.

However, five bigwigs of the Sangh Parivar who were accused in the mosque demolition case, will not be appearing in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on September 30. They are LK Advani, Uma Bharti, MM Joshi, Kalyan Singh, and Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, who heads the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas.

Advani is 92 years old while Joshi is 86 years old. Both will not be in court when the Babri case verdict is pronounced, owing to their old age and susceptibility to contracting the novel coronavirus infection. Bharti is currently in hospital, fighting a coronavirus infection, while Singh and Mahant Das are recovering from COVID-19.

The CBI court will rule on September 30 whether the political leaders and others accused persons had played a part in instigating thousands of kar sewaks to raze the Babri mosque, claiming it was built on the ruins of an ancient temple that marked the birthplace of Hindu deity Lord Ram.

While most leaders including Advani have pleaded innocent before the court, Uma Bharti has said she does not care what the verdict is and would feel blessed if she is sent to the gallows. She has also refused to seek bail if she is convicted under criminal conspiracy charges.