CHARGES FRAMED AGAINST 23 ACCUSED OF BABRI MASJID DEMOLITION

A special court in Lucknow on August 17 framed charges against 23 accused, including two legislators and the then Faizabad District Magistrate, under various sections of IPC which included criminal conspiracy, in the Babri Masjid demolition case. Special Judge (Ayodhya Prakaran) Virendra Kumar fixed August 23 for recording evidence in the case which pertained to the demolition of Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992. The charges were framed against VHP leader Acharya Dharmendra Deo, SP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, BJP MLA Lalu Singh, then Faizabad District Magistrate R N Srivastava and others. The framing of charges would pave the way for start of the trial in the case. The court also initiated the process to declare accused Laxminarayan Das Mahatyagi, who has not been appearing before it for a long time, as a proclaimed offender. Meanwhile, with the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court likely to deliver its verdict on the title suit of Babri Masjid any time next month, Uttar Pradesh police has chalked out a security plan and sought an additional 4,500 paramilitary personnel from the Centre. Leave of policemen have also been cancelled.