Babri case: Kalyan Singh surrenders in CBI, gets bail

A special CBI court here on Friday framed charges against former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh in the Babri Masjid demolition case after he surrendered before the court.

Singh was charged under sections 153 A (promoting enmity or feelings of hatred between different groups on the grounds of religion), 153 B (imputations and assertions prejudicial to national integration), 295 (destruction, damage, or defilement of a place of worship or an object held sacred), 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or the religious beliefs) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the IPC.

The former Rajasthan governor was later granted bail on furnishing a personal bond of Rs. Two lakh.

The CBI had moved an application before the special court hearing the demolition cases stating that Singh no longer enjoyed immunity from prosecution.

Earlier the CBI's attempt to get Singh to face trial in the matter was thwarted as he enjoyed constitutional immunity from prosecution owing to his position as the governor of Rajasthan. Singh, who completed his five year tenure as governor, a few days back, re-joined BJP recently.

Singh was the chief minister of UP when the disputed structure had been demolished at Ayodhya by thousands of 'karsevaks'. The 'karsevaks' had demolished the structure on December 6, 1992 following which Singh had been fined by the supreme court for contempt of court.

Several other senior saffron party leaders, including Murli Manohar Joshi, L.K.Advani and Uma Bharti, were also accused in the Babri Masjid demolition cases.