On 40th day of hearing in Ayodhya case, Muslim petitioners' lawyer tears papers, map

The Supreme Court on Wednesday witnessed high decibel drama when senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan tore papers and a map handed over to him by one of the Hindu parties in connection with the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case.

Dhavan, who was appearing for Muslim petitioners, including the Sunny Waqf Board, tore the papers and the map which was handed over to him by the opposition counsel of All India Hindu Mahasabha, during the 40th and last day of hearing in the case.

The advocate was objecting to All India Hindu Mahasabha's counsel trying to submit map published by Kunal Kishore.

Kishore said that Dhavan tore the map as he thought it would make his case 'non-existent'.

"He is an intellectual. He thought if this map is presented before the court his case will become non-existent. If he had objections he could have said that in the time that was given to him," he told ANI.

During the hearing, lawyer of All India Hindu Mahasabha Vikas Singh said, "With great respect to the court, I have not disturbed the decorum of the court."

In response, Chief Justice (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi said, "If these are the kind of arguments going on, then, we can just get up and walk out."

Earlier today, the CJI said that the daily hearings on the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid land dispute will end by 5 pm on Wednesday.

"By 5 pm this matter is going to be over. Enough is enough," Justice Gogoi said while dismissing the intervention application filed by the Hindu Maha Sabha in the apex court seeking more time for arguments.

The five-judge bench Constitution bench headed by Gogoi was hearing appeals challenging the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict, which ordered equal division of the 2.77-acre of disputed land in Ayodhya among the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and the Ram Lalla.

The 16th-century Babri Masjid in Ayodhya was demolished on December 6, 1992.