Sri Ram Temple Trust Chairman, Secretary Depose in Babri Masjid Demolition Trial

Sri Ram Temple trust chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and its secretary Champat Rai on Tuesday accused the erstwhile Congress government in the Centre of implicating them falsely in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

The two religious leaders made the allegation while deposing before a special CBI court trying the 1992 demolition case by agitated 'kar sevaks'.

Das, the chief of both the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas and the Trust, officially known as the Sri Ram Janambhoomi Teerath Kshetra Trust, and its secretary Rai had appeared before the court of Special Judge S K Yadav to make their depositions under section 313 of the Cr P C.

The deposition under S 313 of Cr P C follows the recording of prosecution evidence and allows accused persons to explain away the evidence adduced against them by prosecutors.

In their separate depositions, the two VHP leaders asserted that they were completely innocent in Babri mosque demolition case and accused the then Central government of falsely implicating them in the case without any evidence.

Responding to a query by Special Judge Yadav, the two said the then Congress government got the case lodged against them and others to fulfil its political motives.

Like other accused, the two also said the government got the investigation conducted on the basis of fabricated evidence and then got the charge sheet filed in the court under political pressure.

"I will produce my defence in the court at the appropriate stage of the trial," the two stressed in their individual statements while replying to questions asked by the court.

The special court is on the verge of completing the trial in the case.

There are altogether 32 accused, including former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, the then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh and veteran BJP leader MM Joshi, in the case.

The two VHP leaders appeared in the court along with their lawyers Vimal Kumar Srivastava, KK Mishra and Abhisekh Ranjan.

After his statement was recorded, Das put his thumb impression on his statement instead of signing it as his hand was shaking due to old age.

After completion of their statements, ten more accused have been left to depose under section 313 of Cr P C.