Charges against Advani framed

Next hearing in Ayodhya demolition case on August 30; it's a malicious prosecution, says BJP

About 12 and a half years after demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya, charges were today framed against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief LK Advani and seven others accused in the case at a special court here.

Special judicial magistrate VK Singh read out the charges against each of the accused in a packed court room and set August 30 for next hearing in the matter.

All the accused including veteran BJP leaders Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti and Vinay Katiyar, VHP leaders Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya and Sadhvi Rithambara, were present in the court with their lawyers when the charges were read out.

The judge explained the charges to the accused persons under Sections 147, 153(a), 149, 153 (b) and Section 505 of the Indian Penal Code. All the accused pleaded "not guilty" and claimed to be tried after, which the court posted the matter for further hearing next month. The court also directed the accused to file a personal bond of Rs 10,000 each, which was complied.

Alleging that the case "as "politically motivated", BJP spokesperson Sushma Swaraj, who was present outside the court, likened it to cases against freedom fighters under the British rule. "This is the case against a national movement and can be compared with the cases on freedom fighters during the British regime," she said.

The CBI had neither any evidence nor any witness, which could prove the charges levied against the accused persons, she claimed. CBI counsel PK Chaubey said so far the court had not granted exemption to the accused persons from personal appearance and hence all of them would have to be present on the next hearing on August 30.

He claimed that a prima facie case had been made out against all the accused and the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court had also expressed the same view. Chaubey said since the accused persons had so far neither filed any bond nor surety in the matter CBI insisted that they should be directed to do so.

"Keeping in view the status of the accused persons we did not insist on surety and suggested that personal bond would suffice," he said. Thereafter all the accused persons furnished a personal bond of Rs 10,000 each, he said. Expressing confidence that all the accused would be acquitted as the case against them was "false", Swaraj said it was "malicious prosecution".

When asked why the case was not described as such when Advani was let off by the court before, she said, "even then our reaction was that all the accused, and not one, should be let off" in the case.

"Whatever evidences the CBI needs to produce, it will not be able to produce," she said adding even the accused wanted court verdict in the matter. Joshi said after the hearing that the charges against them were "false" and the case was "politically motivated."

He said the trial would bring to the fore what exactly happened on that (December 6 1992, demolition) day. "We will prove that the charges against us are false," he said.

As for construction of the temple in Ayodhya, he said it was the aspiration of crores of people that a Ram temple should be constructed at the site. Earlier, Advani had described the Ayodhya movement as a "glorious chapter" which had been revived with the court hearing today.