Court records statements of 32 defendants (File)
New Delhi:
A special court of the IWC set Monday July 24 the registration of the statement of former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani in the demolition case of the Babri Mosque in 1992.
The 92-year-old BJP leader’s statement under Article 313 of the CrPC will be recorded via videoconference.
In his order, Special Judge SK Yadav also set July 23 for the recording of the statement by BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi by video conference.
The court records the statements of the 32 defendants under Article 313 of the CrPC to allow them to plead their innocence, if they wish.
The court, which is holding day-to-day hearings to complete the trial by August 31, as directed by the Supreme Court, has set July 22 for former Shiv Sena MP Satish Pradhan to testify before it by video link.
On Monday, he recorded the statement of the accused Sudhir Kakkad, who had appeared in person, although he wanted to testify earlier by video link.
Like the other defendants, Kakkad claimed he was innocent and was falsely implicated by the central government then run by Congress for political reasons.
The court will record the statement of the accused Ram Chandra Khatri on Tuesday.
BJP chief Uma Bharti appeared in person this month in court.
She had also accused the central government then headed by Congress of having framed her because of a political vendetta.
Ayodhya Mosque was demolished on December 6, 1992 by right-wing workers who claimed that an ancient Ram temple stood on the same site. LK Advani and MM Joshi were leading the Ram temple movement at this time.
