Anju Gupta denies knowlege about symbolic kar seva

Lucknow: Senior IPS officer and CBI witness Anju Gupta, the then personal security officer of BJP leader L K Advani, on Saturday told a special CBI court hearing the Babri Masjid demolition case, that she had no knowledge that the Supreme Court had permitted a “symbolic kar seva” in Ayodhya under its supervision on December 6, 1992, the day the disputed structure was demolished.
During her cross-examination by defence counsel, Gupta said she only knew that the apex court had prohibitted any type of kar seva for the construction of the temple.
While replying to questions, the senior IPS official also dropped hints that the saffron party leaders had tried to keep her away from the scene of action at the Ram Katha Kunj.

She said she was twice sent away from the dais at the Ram Katha Kunj by BJP leader Vinay Katiyar, indicating that the leaders tried to avoid her presence at the scene. On being asked whether the kar sevaks were being given instruction on how and where to perform the kar seva by the leaders, Gupta said some instructions were indeed being given but she could not elaborate.

Gupta’s cross-examination lasted for about two hours. Special CBI judge Gulab Singh later posted the matter for further hearing on June 8 next.

During the previous hearings, Gupta had said the police had information that attempts could be made to harm the structure on December 6, 1992.

Gupta, who was then posted as the assistant superintendent of police in Faizabad, said she had attended a review meeting convened on December 5, 1992, a day before the demolition, in which it was revealed that there was intelligence information that the kar sevaks could try to harm the structure.

Proactive speeech

In her testimony on March 26 last, Gupta had said Advani had made a provocative speech and expressed joy after the disputed structure was brought down by the kar sevaks in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. In 2003, a CBI court had acquitted Advani on the grounds of insufficient evidence. But in 2005, based on Anju Gupta’s statement, the Allahabad High Court reinstated the charges against him.

The special Raebareli court is hearing the demolition cases in which Advani, Joshi, Uma Bharti, Vinay Katiyar and VHP leaders Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya and Sadhvi Ritambhara are the accused persons.