Advani's former PSO deposes before CBI court in Babri case -Governance Now

Advani's former PSO deposes before CBI court in Babri case

Anju Gupta deposes before court as the ninth witness, details Advani and other accused movements during demolition

PTI | March 26, 2010

A file photograph of the Babri Masjid demolition

A senior IPS officer on Friday deposed before a special CBI court as a prosecution witness in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case in which L. K. Advani and other Sangh Parivar leaders have been accused of inciting violence.

Anju Gupta, a 1990-batch IPS officer who was posted as the personal security officer of senior BJP leader Advani during the period of convergence of lakhs of ‘Kar Sevaks’ at Ayodhya as well as the demolition of the mosque, testified as the ninth witness in the case.

Ms. Gupta, who is currently posted with R&AW in Delhi, had earlier deposed before the CBI, which probed the demolition of the 16th century mosque.

She had made a detailed statement on the movement and activities of various Sangh leaders, including Mr. Advani, during the incident of December 6, 1992. It formed a key part of the criminal case the CBI filed against Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Vinay Katiyar, Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya and Sadhvi Ritambhara in 1993.

They were initially charged with making inflammatory speeches, inciting violence and conspiracy in the case.

The conspiracy charge was later dropped and in 2003, Mr. Advani was discharged. In July 2005, however, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court reinstated several charges against him, including provoking people into rioting and arson and creating discord among communities.

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