Babri Masjid demolition case: Kalyan Singh to appear before court today

BJP leader and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh is scheduled to appear before a CBI court in Lucknow on Friday in connection with a criminal case related to the Babri Masjid demolition.

He is scheduled to appear before the court at around 12 pm.

The court had, last week, directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to produce Singh before the court on September 27.

"We have been informed that a new Governor has been appointed in the state of Rajasthan and Kalyan Singh has been relieved from the duties of his position. Taking suo motu cognizance of this, the court directs CBI to issue a summon for Kalyan Singh's presence in the court on September 27," the court order read.

The court had earlier asked the CBI to submit a report stating that BJP leader Singh is no longer on an incumbent constitutional position. This comes after the CBI filed an application in the court seeking an order to produce the former Governor in the court in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

On September 9, Singh had rejoined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after completing his term as the Governor of Rajasthan, a post which had accorded him immunity.

Singh was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh when the 16th-century Babri Masjid was razed on December 6 in 1992. Besides Kalyan Singh, L K Advani, Uma Bharti, and Murli Manohar Joshi are accused in the case.