After 30 years of demolition of the Babri Masjid, the Supreme Court on Tuesday closed all contempt proceedings filed against 32 people, including BJP leaders Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharati, stating that the contempt proceedings cease to exist, in view of its 2019 verdict on Ayodhya Ramjanambhumi.
Contempt proceedings were initiated against 32 people, including BJP leaders, Chairman of Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das; General Secretary of the Trust Champat Rai and officials of the Uttar Pradesh government for not stopping the demolition as per the status quo order.
The Apex Court noted that the issue cannot be continued after its November 9, 2019 verdict, in connection with the Ayodhya land dispute between the Hindus and Muslims.
The Bench further observed that the contempt proceedings should have been listed earlier.
The top court of the country noted that petitioner Mohd Aslam alias Bhure, who had filed the petition in 1991 followed by the contempt plea in 1992, had died in 2010.
The Apex Court also rejected Advocate M.M. Kashyap’s plea for substituting the petitioner with an Amicus Curiae.
The case related to demolition of Babri mosque was lodged on December 6, 1992, with 1,026 witnesses and 49 accused listed during the trial in the case. Out of these, 17 died during the course of trial.
The land dispute related to Ram Janmabhumi temple and Babri Masjid witnessed registration of two cases. Out of these, the Supreme Court had delivered verdict in the title suit case in 2019, paving way for the construction of Ram temple at the site.
The second one was decided today, with closing of all contempt proceedings against 32 accused.