Lucknow: Senior lawyer and member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) Zafaryab Jilani Wednesday said the verdict of a special court acquitting all the 32 accused in the Babri mosque demolition case would be challenged in the High Court.
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.
The special CBI court has given its verdict ignoring the evidence and so Muslims will challenge it in the high court, he said.
He also indicated that the board might also be a party.
CBI judge SK Yadav acquitted the accused, which included BJP veterans L K Advani and MM Joshi, saying there was no conclusive proof against them.
Jilani claimed that when the structure fell down, there was celebration and sweets were distributed but the court was of the view that there was no conspiracy.
There were clear evidences under 153-A (promoting enmity, hatred between different communities), 153-B (assertion prejudicial to national integration) against Advani and others and yet they were acquitted, he further claimed.
When pointed out that it was the CBI which was fighting the case, Jilani said the victims and the witnesses also have the right to appeal but the agency too needs to do so.
“We are victims, several of our people were witnesses in the case. I too was among them,” he said.
He further said that from the Muslims’ side both the victims and the witnesses would file appeal.
For the victims, Haji Mehboob and Hafiz Akhlaq would file. Others who would also be filing appeals would be decided later, he said.
“If there is an agreement on this point, then Muslim personal law board would also be a party,” he said.
When asked if a meeting of the board would be convened on this issue, he said that there is no need for it.
PTI
