Babri demolition case verdict live updates: CBI to decide on challenging verdict

The CBI will decide on filing an appeal against the special court verdict acquitting all 32 accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case after consulting the legal department, its counsel said on Wednesday. "After a copy of today's verdict is received, it will be sent to the CBI headquarters where it will be studied by the legal department and a decision on filing an appeal will be taken as per its suggestion," CBI counsel Lalit Singh said.

During the course of the trial, the counsel had submitted that the structure was demolished by miscreants who defied the directions for symbolic 'karseva' given from Ramakatha Kunj. The leaders of the VHP and others had gathered at a podium at Ramakatha Kunj, about 200 metres from the site, from where they addressed the crowd and the late VHP leader Ashok Singhal tried his best to prevent the demolition, but miscreants disobeyed him, the defence lawyer claimed. The court accepted these submissions made by defence lawyer Vimal Kumar Srivastava in his 400-page written and oral arguments.

Trinamool Congress on Wednesday was guarded in its response on the acquittal of all the accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case by a special CBI court in Lucknow and said that "those who are not happy with the judgement will get relief in higher courts". "It is a court judgement, so we cannot just say we oppose or support it. The verdict has come after 28 years, few people are unhappy with it. We have come to know from the media that some outfits have expressed their displeasure," senior TMC leader and party spokesman Sougata Roy said.

"The acquittals amount to a travesty of justice. It took 28 long years for this verdict but not justice to be delivered. All the top leaders of the BJP-VHP-RSS who were present at the scene guiding the criminal act have been found to be innocent of the charge of conspiracy to demolish the mosque," the CPM politburo said in a statement.

The ruling BJP in Gujarat alongiwth the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Pravin Togadia's Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP) on Wednesday welcomed the CBI court's verdict acquitting all the accused in the Babri mosque demolition case. State BJP chief C R Paatil hailed the ruling as a "victory of truth"."Once again, truth emerged victorious. My sincere regards to the Indian judiciary. Jay Shree Ram," Paatil tweeted. "We are happy as the court has acquitted national leaders like L K Advani, Murali Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, from this case," said Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel. "The verdict has now put a full-stop to the entire issue. Work for Ram Mandir has also started in Ayodhya," Patel told reporters in Gandhinagar.

“I will say only one thing 'Jai Jai Shri Ram, Sab ko sanmatti de bhagwan (May Lord, bestow wisdom on all),” he said, expressing happiness over the judgement. “The court had delivered a historic verdict,” Joshi told reporters here in his first reaction to the verdict in the 28-year-old case. He thanked the lawyers who appeared for him in the matter and said they presented all the aspects and facts before the court.

Owaisi on Wednesday he called the special court's verdict "obnoxious" and said the central agency should appeal against it. Speaking to reporters, Owaisi in his reaction to the judgement said, "This judgement satisfies the collective consciousness of hindutva and its followers and ideology." He wondered how the court could state that there was no conspiracy in the matter. "Was it a some sort of magic that on December 6 the masjid was demolished? Who called for the assembling of the people over there? Who made sure that they entered over there?" he asked.

All-India Muslim Personal Law Board senior member Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali on Wednesday said organisations representing the community will together decide whether they need to challenge or not the CBI court verdict in the Babri mosque demolition case. Refusing to comment on their acquittal, Mahali said, "I don't have anything to say on the verdict. Everybody knows how the Babri mosque was sacrificed on December 6, 1992 in Ayodhya and how all rules were flouted."

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said the Babri masjid demolition case lost its relevance after the supreme court settled the Ram Janmabhoomi title suit in 2019 even as he welcomed the special court's verdict acquitting all the 32 accused in the case. "This verdict was expected. I, on behalf of Shiv Sena and party president Uddhav Thackeray, welcome this decision of the court," he added. Raut also said that had Babri (mosque) not been razed, the 'bhoomi pujan' of Ram temple in Ayodhya wouldn't have been possible. "...We have to forget that episode now," he added.

"Truth can be troubled but it cannot be defeated. Today, truth has won again. I hail the Indian judicial system," Chouhan tweeted in Hindi. Chouhan also released a video statement, saying the then Congress government was prejudiced and levelled false allegations against saints and senior leaders.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday welcomed the court verdict in the Babri mosque demolition case, terming it as the victory of truth. Satyamev Jayate, the chief minister said while welcoming the decision of the special court, a statement issued by his advisor Mritunjay Kumar said. The chief minister also accused the then Congress government of framing saints, BJP leaders, VHP office bearers and others to defame them for vote bank politics.

Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said every Indian who has innate faith in the Constitution and in the spirit of communal amity and brotherhood expects and urges the central and state governments to file an appeal against the decision of the special court. "The decision of the Special Court to acquit all the accused in Babri Masjid demolition case runs counter to Supreme Court judgement as also the constitutional spirit," Surjewala said. The Supreme Court in its judgement on November 9 last year, pronounced by five judges, had clearly held that the demolition of Babri Masjid was a clear illegality and “egregious violation of the rule of law”, Surjewala told reporters.

The RSS on Wednesday welcomed the special CBI court's verdict acquitting all accused in the Babri masjid demolition case and called for harmony in society to face challenges before the country. "Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh welcomes the special CBI court's decision to acquit all the accused in the demolition of the controversial structure.