Babri demolition trial: Murli Manohar Joshi claims innocence

Former union minister and senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi on Thursday claimed that he was not involved in the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.

Deposing in the special CBI court here through video conferencing, Joshi claimed that he had been ''implicated in the matter owing to political reasons''.

Joshi, who was asked around a thousand questions, said that he was 'innocent' and that he was in no way involved in the demolition of the structure. The court told him that he could submit evidence, if any, in support of his claim of innocence.

The special CBI court has been conducting daily hearing of the matter on the direction of the Supreme Court.

Senior BJP leader L.K.Advani, who was also an accused in the matter, would be deposing in the case on Friday through video conferencing.

Several senior BJP leaders, including Advani, Joshi, Uma Bharti and Kalyan Singh, are accused in the matter.

The cases, which pertained to the demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992 by thousands of 'karsevaks', were being heard on a daily basis by a special CBI judge here.

Soon after the demolition of the disputed structure two FIRs were registered at Ram Janmabhoomi police station in Ayodhya against unidentified 'karsevaks', Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and BJP leaders.

Forty seven other FIRs were also registered later. The CBI, which was handed over the investigation of the cases, filed a single charge-sheet in all the cases against 40 accused persons.