Lucknow: Surendra Yadav, a retired Judge, who had acquitted top BJP leaders including L.K. Advani, Kalyan Singh, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi and 29 others in Babri mosque demolition conspiracy case, took oath of the office as Deputy Lokayukta (III) in Uttar Pradesh.
He was appointed Deputy Lokyukta by the Yogi Adityanath in consultation with the Governor Anandiben Patel and Lokayukta for a term of six years. The Governor had signed the notification appointing him as the Dy Lokayukta (III) on April 6.
The Supreme Court had extended tenure of Special CBI Court Judge Surendra Yadav in 2019 for holding day to day hearing in the Babri demolition conspiracy case against L.K. Advani, Kalyan Singh, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharati and others and deliver the judgment within two years after concluding arguments.
On September 30, 2020 the Special CBI Judge had passed an order acquitting all 32 accused, incluidng BJP top leaders, in the Babri mosque demolition case (no 198/92).
Babri mosque was demolished on December 6 1992 by several lakhs of kar sevaks in Ayodhya. The police had registerered two cases – case no 197/92 against several lakhs of unidentified kar sevaks and case no 198/92 against top BJP, RSS, Shiv Sena and other saffron leaders for hatching conspiracy to provoke kar sevaks for demolition of the disputed mosque, believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram.
Out of total 48 accused many of them had died during the course of trial. Top among them were Rajmata Vijairaje Scindia and Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thakeray. Finally, 32 remained against whom the trial began afresh in 2018.
During the Atal Bihari Vajpayee regime an attempt was made to dilute the case by withdrawing Section 120-B against the accused in 2001. However, the Supreme Court rejected the CBI supplementary chargesheet and gave a go haed to the CBI Special Court to resume time-bound trial and pronouncement of judgment.
