Babri case: SC judge recuses from hearing criminal appeals

A Supreme Court judge today recused from hearing appeals pertaining to dropping of criminal conspiracy charge against L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti and other BJP-VHP leaders in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

Justice V Gopala Gowda, who was heading the bench also comprising Justice Arun Mishra, recused himself from the hearing without citing any reason and said, “let the matter be placed before the Chief Justice” for its allocation to some other bench.

The appeals were filed by one Haji Mahboob Ahmad and the CBI against the dropping of conspiracy charges against senior BJP leaders Advani, Joshi and 16 others, for demolition of the disputed medieval structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.

The pleas had sought setting aside of the Allahabad High Court’s order of May 20, 2010, which had dropped section 120B (criminal conspiracy) under the IPC while upholding a special court’s decision.