Kalyan Singh to face charges in Babri Masjid demolition case

New Delhi, Sep 1 (IANS) Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh, who is going to complete his five-year tenure on September 3, will face criminal charges in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case before a Uttar Pradesh court.

On April 19, 2017, the Supreme Court had revived criminal charges against various leaders in the case but granted immunity to Kalyan Singh as he was the Governor of Rajasthan.

However, the top court had said the charges would be framed against the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister when he will complete his tenure as the Governor.

"Kalyan Singh, being the Governor of Rajasthan, is entitled to immunity under Article 361 of the Constitution as long as he remains Governor of Rajasthan. The court of Sessions will frame charges and move against him as soon as he ceases to be Governor," the Apex Court had said in 2017.

Kalyan Singh took charge as Rajasthan Governor on September 4, 2014.

The apex court had in 2017 revived the conspiracy charges against senior BJP leaders L.K. Advani, M.M. Joshi, Uma Bharti and others in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

On April 19, 2017, it had ordered the trial court to conduct day-to-day hearings and conclude the trial in the case within two years.

On July 19 this year, the top court asked the Uttar Pradesh government to find ways to extend tenure of special judge hearing the case and directed that the judgement should be delivered in nine months.

The Special Judge hearing the case was scheduled to retire on September 30 this year.

A frenzied Hindu mob razed the 16th century Babri mosque in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. When this happened, Advani, Joshi and other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders were present at the spot.