New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday postponed till April 7, the hearing of the appeal filed by CBI in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case, challenging the dropping of conspiracy charges against senior BJP leader L.K. Advani and others.
A bench of Justices Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Rohinton Nariman while adjourning the case asked counsel for parties to file written submissions on or before April 6 to enable the court to focus on issues for determination. The hearing was deferred as senior counsel K.K. Venugopal appearing for Mr Advani said he was in the midst of arguments and it will take two weeks for the arguments. On March 6, Justice Nariman had hinted at reviving the conspiracy charge.
SC to look into attack on scribes
Sitting with Justice Pinaki Chandra Chose on March 6, Justice Nariman had hinted at reviving the conspiracy charge against the accused and the matter was listed on Thursday for final hearing. Besides Mr Advani, other accused in the case included: Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Giriraj Kishore, Vishnu Hari Dalmia, Vinay Katiyar and Sadvi Ritambara. It was expected that the CBI under the NDA regime will change its stand now. But curiously the CBI maintained its earlier position that conspiracy charge should be included against all the accused.
On May 4, 2001, the sessions court dropped the conspiracy charges against Mr Advani and others and this was upheld by the High Court. The present appeal is against this order. If the apex court passes its final order after the hearing, those who had indulged in actual demolition will be tried together along with the offences relating to snatching of cameras and assault of media persons.
