The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) said on Wednesday that the acquittal of 32 people in the Babri Masjid demolition case was “far from justice” and a key member of the body assured that the verdict will be challenged in high court.
In a statement, the body urged the Central Bureau of Investigation to appeal the judgment in the high court.
“It is neither based on evidence and not in accordance with the law,” said an AIMPLB statement issued soon after the special CBI court’s verdict around noon.
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“Whatever may be the reason for acquittal but this is also a fact that many of us have seen the videos and photos of demolition. Who all was part of this conspiracy is an open secret,” said Maulana Mohammed Wali Rahmani, general secretary, AIMPLB.
A key member of the board, senior lawyer Zafaryab Jilani, also said that the verdict will be challenged in high court. “The special CBI court has given its verdict ignoring the evidence and so Muslims will challenge it in high court,” he added.
“There were hundreds of statements by the witnesses and in criminal cases these are very important, Jilani said, adding that among those who gave their statements were IPS officers and journalists who had said that the accused persons were sitting on the dias and inflammatory speeches were being given.
{{/usCountry}}“There were hundreds of statements by the witnesses and in criminal cases these are very important, Jilani said, adding that among those who gave their statements were IPS officers and journalists who had said that the accused persons were sitting on the dias and inflammatory speeches were being given.
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In the statement, the body said said that a 500-year-old-structure that was defenceless and whose safety was in the hands of the state government was demolished.
“And its demolition was followed by the wave of communal violence in the country and now in the verdict no accountability for demolition has been fixed,” it added.
“In 1994, a five judges’ bench of the Supreme Court had stated that the demolition was a ‘national shame’ and it shook the faith in the rule of law and the constitutional process.”
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Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad Naqvi registered his disagreement towards the Special CBI Court’s judgment acquitting all 32 accused.
“Though the Supreme Court had considered Babri Masjid demolition as a criminal act and a violation of law to which government officials and police remained a mute spectator, I wonder why proper evidences and witnesses were not produced before the court to prove the guilt,” said Jawad.
“Now since all the accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case have been acquitted, the question that who demolished Babri Masjid remains unanswered,” he added while advising Muslims to file an appeal.