Acquitted in Babri Masjid trial, former Shiv Sena MP Satish Pradhan hails the 'truth'

Former Shiv Sena MP Satish Pradhan, who was an accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case, on Wednesday welcomed a CBI special court's verdict acquitting all the 32 accused in the case.

"Truth has prevailed," the 80-year-old former mayor of Thane told PTI, after attending the hearing through video conference.

The court said there is conclusive proof against the accused. Pradhan had earlier been granted bail in the case.

The first mayor of Thane near Mumbai while he was with the Sena, Pradhan is now with the BJP.

"Truth always prevails. We have full faith in the judiciary," he said.

Pradhan was once a trusted associate of Shiv Sena supremo late Bal Thackeray and helped the party grow in the Konkan region and Maharashtra.

Local BJP leader Om Prakash Sharma, who was among the 'karsevaks' from Thane to Ayodhya in December 1992, also welcomed the court verdict, adding he was happy that all the accused have been acquitted.

All the 32 accused in the Babri mosque demolition case, including BJP veterans L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, were on Wednesday acquitted by the special CBI court.

The court in Lucknow said there was no conclusive proof against the accused.

The case relates to the razing of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.

The accused also include Uma Bharti and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh, during whose tenure the structure was pulled down, besides Vinay Katiyar and Sadhvi Rithambara.