Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

CBI seeks time for written proof on Kalyan

Has sought five days from the court of special judge

- HT Correspond­ent letters@hindustant­imes .com ■

LUCKNOW : The CBI on Monday sought five days time from the court of special judge (Ayodhya case) SK Yadav to submit details related with BJP leader Kalyan Singh in court.

After Kalyan Singh’s tenure as governor of Rajasthan ended earlier this month, the CBI submitted an applicatio­n in the court seeking his trial in the ongoing criminal conspiracy case related with demolition of the Babri Mosque.

The court has asked the CBI to submit written proof that Singh is no more Governor of Rajasthan so that criminal proceeding­s could start against him.

“The CBI today sought five days time to submit proof related with Kalyan Singh. The central agency is unable to get written proof from the authoritie­s concerned that Kalyan Singh is no more Governor of Rajasthan and at present he is not holding any constituti­onal post,” said advocate KK Mishra, who is representi­ng several BJP leaders in the CBI court.

The CBI on September 9 filed an applicatio­n before the special CBI court seeking permission to produce Kalayn Singh in court.

However, district judge and special CBI judge (Ayodhya case) SK Yadav directed the CBI to produce written proof before the court verifying that Kalyan Singh is no more Governor of Rajasthan and does not hold any constituti­onal post .

It may be pointed out that till date Kalyan Singh had immunity from the ongoing criminal proceeding­s in the special CBI court related with demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, as he was holding constituti­onal post of Governor of Rajasthan.

But on September 3, Singh’s tenure as Governor ended and he formally handed over the charge to Kalraj Mishra on September 8.

On April 1, 2017, the Supreme Court had given the judge two years to complete the trial after it revived criminal conspiracy charges against senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, in the case.

On July 19 last, the Supreme Court had set a nine-month deadline for the special CBI court in Lucknow to pronounce the final verdict in the December 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case and extended the tenure of the special CBI judge hearing it till the trial gets over.

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