Uttar Pradesh: Babri case judge asks former BJP president Murli Manohar Joshi 1,050 questions

LUCKNOW: Denying his involvement in the alleged conspiracy with 'kar sevaks' to demolish the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi stressed before the special CBI court on Thursday that he was completely innocent and was falsely implicated in 1992 Babri mosque demolition case due to political malice.
The court is set to record the statement of former deputy PM LK Advani on Friday through video conferencing. Deposing before court through video conferencing, Joshi, said, “The investigation was conducted under political influence and he was charged on the basis of fabricated evidence.”
On being asked by Judge SK Yadav why the witnesses gave evidence against him, Joshi replied, “All the witnesses are liars. They have deposed due to political reasons and under influence of the police.” As the judge showed him a photograph taken on the Ram Janmabhoomi premises on June 26, 1991, showing Joshi along with then chief minister Kalyan Singh and asked his explanation, Joshi told the judge that no negative of photograph was filed on record.
The judge also referred to many newspapers in which articles were published on alleged statements of former deputy PM LK Advani and Shiv Sena leader Bala Saheb Thackeray regarding Ram Janmabhoomi and asked his response to them. Joshi said that the news items were false and were made part of the investigation owing to political malice.
Referring to a CBI witness, the judge narrated him that on June 25, 1991, Kalyan Singh was sworn in as the chief minister and the next day he along with his cabinet colleagues went to Ayodhya at Ram Janmabhoomi/Babri mosque premises and then Kalyan reiterated the construction of temple at the site, chanting, “Ram Lala Hum Aayenge, Mandir Yahin Banayenge” and asked Joshi what he had to say about this, he replied that it was true that Kalyan went to Ayodhya, but rest of the averment was false.
As many as 1,050 questions were asked by the judge from Joshi on Thursday through online proceedings and he categorically replied to all of them. Joshi was deposing from Delhi via a video link.
As Joshi was appearing online from Delhi, his lawyers Vimal Kumar Srivastava, KK Mishra and Abhisekh Ranjan were present in the court. CBI lawyers Lalit Singh, P Chakrawarti and RK Yadav represented the central agency.