SC defers hearing in Babri Masjid conspiracy case

The Supreme Court on Thursday deferred hearing on a CBI plea seeking restoration of criminal conspiracy charge against senior BJP leaders in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case, asking the parties to file written submission focusing on issues to be adjudicated.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought the restoration of the charge against senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Union Minister Uma Bharti, Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh and others.

The investigating agency has challenged the May 2010 Allahabad High Court decision absolving Advani and others of the charge of criminal conspiracy that led to the razing of the 16th century mosque in Ayodhya of Uttar Pradesh on December 6, 1992.

Asking the CBI, senior BJP leaders and other petitioner Haji Mahboob Ahmed to file written submissions focusing on the issue to be adjudicated by the court, the bench of Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman adjourned the hearing for two weeks after senior counsel K.K. Venugopal appealing for Advani told the bench that he was busy in the hearing of another case.

The court fixed April 6 as the next date of hearing.

The top court had on March 31, 2015, issued notices to Advani, Joshi, Uma Bharti, Kalyan Singh and others on the plea by CBI.