India News

Babri demolition case should have been settled before SC proceedings in Ayodhya title suit: Justice Liberhan

Published

9 years ago

December 2, 2017

Babri demolition case should have been settled before SC proceedings in Ayodhya title suit: Justice Liberhan

The Justice Liberhan commission of inquiry had indicted BJP stalwarts Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi for Babri Masjid demolition

Days before the Supreme Court begins its daily hearing in the long-pending and politically sensitive Ayodhya title suit case, Justice (retired) Manmohan Singh Liberhan, who had led a commission of inquiry that looked into the Babri Masjid demolition incident, has said that it would have been better had the trial in the demolition suit been disposed off first.

The demolition suit – in which charges of criminal conspiracy in demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992 have been made out against BJP veterans LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharati – has been gathering dust in a special CBI court in Lucknow since May 30 this year when the BJP leaders were charged. Interestingly, the Supreme Court had ordered the special CBI court to wrap up proceedings in this case within two years but little forward movement seems to have taken place in the past six months since Advani, Joshi and Bharati were charged of criminal conspiracy.

In an interview to the Indian Express newspaper, Justice Liberhan has said that the Supreme Court’s decision to hear a bunch of petitions appealing against the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict in the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit from December 5 onwards “will adversely affect the demolition suit”.

It is pertinent to note that the demolition suit is based largely on findings made by the Justice Liberhan Commission of Inquiry, which had in its report submitted in June 2009 held that the demolition of the Babri Masjid was “meticulously planned”. The Justice Liberhan report – as the commission’s findings are now popularly known as – had indicted former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, BJP veterans LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi as “pseudo moderates” and claimed that they were “ideological and intellectually” responsible for the Babri Masjid demolition on December 6, 1992. The report had added that though Vajpayee was not present at the Babri Masjid site when it was demolished, it cannot be assumed that he, along with Advani and Joshi, did not know about the designs of the Sangh Parivar which obviously wanted to raze the mosque to the ground.

Clearly unhappy about the Supreme Court’s decision to begin daily hearings in the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit from December 5 while the demolition suit against LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and other BJP-RSS leaders and workers gathered dust, Justice Liberhan asked: “what is the point of this”.

“If it is decided that it is Wakf property, then one side is established as guilty of demolition. And if the Hindu sides get it (the Ram Janmbhoomi title), then the act of demolition becomes seen as ‘justified’ — to reclaim own property. This demolition is known to people alive and must be decided first. They (the Lucknow special CBI court) can take a few weeks or months to do it,” Justice Liberhan was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.

The 79-year-old retired judge also found fault with the verdict of the Allahabad High Court in the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit which is now in appeal in the Supreme Court. “The Allahabad High Court decision is not the answer. A decision had to be made on the title suit of the property and they went and partitioned the land,” said Justice Liberhan, who had served as chief justice of the Madras and later Andhra Pradesh High Court before retiring from the judiciary.

The Allahabad High Court had, in a largely controversial verdict delivered in 2010, divided the 2.77-acre disputed land in Ayodhya between the main deity Ram Lalla, Sunni Wakf Board and Nirmohi Akhara. The verdict had been criticised by several legal eagles and politicians, aside from the parties in the case, for having adjudicated a title suit on the basis on faith and not law.

Liberhan says that the ruling party as well as the Opposition today are both indifferent to the circumstances under which the Babri Masjid was razed. “None of the political parties today want to do something or even genuinely feel like they should do something on the demolition of the Babri Masjid. They just want to encash it in their own ways. In the present political environment, even the philosophical idea of imagining the so-called secular society is not there, it is just limited to sloganism (sic),” he was quoted as saying.

Related Topics:Atal Bihari Vajpayee Babri Masjid Liberhan LK Advani Supreme Court Uma Bharati

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Air India sacks Phuket-Delhi flight pilot after failing drug test

Air India has terminated the Phuket-Delhi flight pilot after a confirmatory test found a psychoactive substance following the August 4 incident.

Published

13 hours ago

September 4, 2026

APNLive Desk

Air India has terminated the employment of the pilot-in-command of a Phuket-Delhi flight after he tested positive for a psychoactive substance.

The pilot was in command of flight AI2379, which was travelling from Phuket to Delhi on August 4 when the aircraft suddenly lost altitude over Odisha. The incident left 24 passengers injured.

Air India said the termination was in line with its zero-tolerance policy regarding safety violations and regulatory requirements.

Air India terminates pilot with immediate effect

In a statement, the Tata-owned airline said the pilot-in-command had tested positive for a psychoactive substance.

The airline said that, considering its zero-tolerance approach to violations related to safety, fitness and regulatory requirements, the pilot’s employment had been terminated with immediate effect.

Air India also said it continues to cooperate fully with the investigation into the incident and has provided access to relevant operational, maintenance and technical records.

What happened on the Phuket-Delhi flight?

According to the preliminary findings of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the Airbus A320 was carrying 145 people when it experienced the near-simultaneous loss of all three hydraulic systems while cruising at around 36,000 feet.

The technical failure resulted in the autopilot disconnecting and triggered a brief stall warning. The aircraft subsequently lost altitude, resulting in injuries to 24 passengers.

The preliminary report also noted that the pilot tested non-negative for a psychoactive substance in a confirmatory test.

However, the report did not establish that the pilot’s drug-test result caused or contributed to the hydraulic system failure or the subsequent loss of altitude.

AAIB recommends action over psychoactive substance finding

The AAIB described the confirmation of psychoactive substance use as a serious concern and recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) take appropriate action against the pilot on priority.

The investigation into the technical and other aspects of the incident is still underway.

The preliminary report also noted that the co-pilot was flying the aircraft when the incident occurred and attempted to bring the situation under control.

Air India said safety remains its highest priority and that its pilots undergo training, proficiency checks, medical examinations and other regulatory assessments in accordance with applicable requirements.

India News

India offers forensic DNA support to identify Nepal flood victims

India will make forensic laboratory facilities available for DNA profiling of first-degree relatives of people missing after Nepal’s August 26 flash floods.

Published

18 hours ago

September 4, 2026

APNLive Desk

India has offered forensic laboratory support to help identify people who remain missing after the devastating flash floods in Nepal.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said central and state forensic laboratories in India will make their DNA profiling facilities available for first-degree biological relatives of people missing after the August 26 flash floods in Nepal.

DNA samples can be provided by relatives in India

According to the MEA, first-degree biological relatives living in India can have their biological samples collected and DNA profiles prepared.

The relatives can include a person’s father, mother, son, daughter or sibling. DNA profiling can be carried out at Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs), State Forensic Science Laboratories (SFSLs), laboratories of the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), and NABL-accredited laboratories with DNA profiling capabilities.

The initiative is intended to support Nepal’s ongoing process of identifying mortal remains recovered after the flash floods.

DNA profiles to be compared with unidentified remains

The MEA said the DNA profiling may use Autosomal STR DNA profiling, as advised by Nepal Police, subject to the technical requirements communicated by the Nepali authorities.

Once prepared, DNA profiles and the preliminary information required by Nepalese authorities can be sent to Nepal Police by email for comparison with DNA profiles obtained from unidentified mortal remains.

The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu will also facilitate coordination, with copies of the DNA profiles to be shared with the embassy for this purpose.

Nepal flood death toll rises

The death toll from the flash floods has risen to at least 1,259, according to Nepalese authorities, after rescue workers recovered additional bodies from affected areas.

More than 12,000 people have been rescued, while around 5,000 people remain missing as search and rescue operations continue.

The flash floods, which followed an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border, caused extensive destruction across towns and villages in northern and central Nepal.

India News

PM Modi hails ISRO after successful GSLV-F17 launch, calls it proud moment

PM Modi congratulated ISRO after GSLV-F17 successfully launched EOS-05, calling the achievement a proud moment for India.

Published

23 hours ago

September 4, 2026

APNLive Desk

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) after the successful launch of the GSLV-F17 rocket carrying the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite, describing the achievement as a proud moment for the nation.

The GSLV-F17 lifted off at 2:55 a.m. IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The EOS-05 satellite was subsequently placed into its designated sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit.

PM Modi praises ISRO’s growing capabilities

In a post on X, PM Modi said the successful mission reflected the excellence, innovation and expanding capabilities of India’s space sector.

Yet another outstanding achievement by ISRO and a proud moment for our nation.

The successful launch of GSLV-F17 carrying EOS-05, India’s first-ever imaging satellite from Geosynchronous orbit is a reflection of the excellence, innovation and growing capabilities that define… https://t.co/fXzwnSmwAF
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 4, 2026

He also highlighted the growing partnership between ISRO and Indian industry, saying it was strengthening India’s space programme and expanding capabilities across the wider space ecosystem.

The prime minister described the successful launch of GSLV-F17 carrying EOS-05 as another outstanding achievement by ISRO and a matter of national pride.

EOS-05 strengthens earth observation capabilities

According to the report, EOS-05 is India’s first-ever imaging satellite from geosynchronous orbit. The satellite is designed to provide continuous observation of the country from an altitude of nearly 36,000 km above Earth.

The mission is expected to strengthen India’s earth observation capabilities and support advanced imaging and observation applications.

ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan expressed satisfaction with the mission, saying the satellite was precisely injected into its intended orbit.

Mission Director Thomas Kurian described the launch as a significant milestone for the GSLV programme. He said it was the 19th flight of the GSLV and noted that EOS-05 is the heaviest satellite the launch vehicle has placed into a geosynchronous transfer orbit or sub-GTO orbit.

GSLV-F17 launch vehicle details

The GSLV-F17 stands 51.7 metres tall and has an approximate liftoff mass of 420.5 tonnes.

Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh also congratulated the ISRO team following the successful mission. He described EOS-05 as a state-of-the-art Earth observation satellite capable of advanced imaging across visible, infrared, multispectral and hyperspectral bands.