Lucknow: Retired judge Surendra Kumar Yadav who acquitted all accused last year in the Babri Masjid demolition case was appointed as the deputy Lokayukta in Uttar Pradesh. He will hold office for a term of six years. On Monday, he took the oath in the presence of various government officials of Uttar Pradesh.
In 2019, Yadav's tenure was extended by the Supreme Court so that he could hear and deliver judgment in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case after almost twenty-eight years. On September 30th, 2020 he acquitted all the 32 accused saying it was spontaneous and not a pre-planned move, citing the absence of conclusive proof to suggest a criminal conspiracy.
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The criminal case involved many veteran BJP leaders most of whom denied all charges. The list includes L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, former Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh. Advani, Joshi, and Uma Bharati accused of a conspiracy that led to the demolition of the 15th-century mosque in December 1992.
"Yadav was appointed as third Deputy Lokayukta by the Governor on April 6. On Monday, Yadav was administered oath by Lokayukta Sanjay Mishra in the presence of other senior officers," an official statement said.
The Lokayukta is from a non-political background and functions as a statutory authority probing cases primarily related to corruption, government mismanagement, or abuse of power by public servants or ministers.
Surendra Kumar Yadav will join Shambu Singh Yadav who was appointed on August 4, 2016, and Dinesh Kumar Singh who was appointed on June 6, 2020.