Focus now shifts to Babri Masjid demolition case

This case, related to the alleged criminal conspiracy behind the demolition of the mosque, is in the final stages of hearing in a Special CBI court in Lucknow. Some high-profile names of Indian politics, including L.K. Advani, are the accused in the case, which has been going on for almost three decades now. Some of the accused persons in the case have already passed away. The CBI, which took up investigation in all the 49 cases related to Babri Masjid demolition, filed a consolidated charge sheet against 40 people these cases in a special court in Lucknow on October 5, 1993.

Two years later, in January 1996, the agency filed a supplementary charge sheet against nine other prominent people, taking the total tally of accused persons to 49. Advocate I.B. Singh, who had argued for the accused, said, “The case has been marked by drawbacks from the first day, including different FIRs registered for a crime related to one incident. Over the years, it has been more an effort of political witch hunt rather than serious investigation of the crime.”