AIMPLB to challenge CBI court's order acquitting Babri demolition accused in High Court

Expressing its dissatisfaction on the decision by the special CBI court to acquit all 32 accused in Babri demolition case, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Wednesday said that it will appeal against the order it in a higher court.

AIMPLB secretary Zafaryab Jilani said that the remedy is only in the High Court and accused the judge of being bias. He cited the Supreme Court's 2017 observation and said that when the top court calls the demolition a crime and a conspiracy, how can the CBI court give such a verdict, he asked. He added that the AIMPLB will fight the order democratically. 

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Meanwhile, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi called the verdict a black day for the judiciary, alleging it to be one-sided. He slammed the BJP leaders who have now been acquitted in the case and also alleged that Congress is the root of all the conspiracy against the Babri Masjid. 

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CBI Court acquits all 32 accused 

The Special CBI court in Lucknow on Wednesday acquitted all 32 accused in the Babri mosque demolition case. The order was pronounced by Special CBI judge Surendra Kumar Yadav. While pronouncing the verdict, the judge observed that demolition was not "pre-planned" and happened in the "spur of the moment". The detailed order runs into over 2000 pages.

The 32 accused in the case include senior BJP leaders - Lal Krishna Advani, Murali Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Kalyan Singh, Vinay Katiyar. Out of the 32 accused, 26 were present in the court and others attended the hearing via video conferencing, including Advani. A total 49 people were accused initially in the FIR, 17 other accused have died, and out of them, three high-profile accused were Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders Giriraj Kishore, Ashok Singhal and Vishnu Hari Dalmia. The proceedings against them have been abated. 

READ | Babri Mosque Demolition Case LIVE UPDATES

As per Supreme Court's direction in 2017, two separate cases that were filed after the demolition of Babri Masjid in Faizabad were clubbed. While the first was filed by the then SHO, Priyamvada Nath Shukla, against unknown karsevaks, the second case was filed by the then sub-inspector Ganga Prasad Tiwari against eight leaders namely LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Vinay Katiyar, Uma Bharti, Sadhvi Ritambhara, Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore, Vishnu Hari Dalmia.

The case was field under IPC sections 395, 397, 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from duty), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class), 297 and 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and r IPC sections 153-A, 153-B and 505.

READ | Owaisi issues Urdu shayari response as court acquits all accused in Babri demolition case