Babri Masjid: SC verdict today on Advani role in case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will pronounce on Wednesday its verdict in appeals in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case for reviving “conspiracy charge” against BJP leaders L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and 19 others.

While reserving orders, a bench of Justices Pinaki Ghose and Rohinton Nariman has said it will revive conspiracy charges and direct the trial court in Lucknow to complete the trial in two years by ordering day-to-day hearing. Now separate trials are held in Rae Bareilly (agaisnt Advani and others without conspiracy charge) and Lucknow (with conspiracy).

The CBI chargesheet had alleged that a secret meeting took place at the residence of Vinay Katiyar on the eve of the demolition during which the final decision to demolish the disputed structure was taken. The conspiracy, hatched in 1990 by Mr Lal Krishna Advani and others, culminated in the demolition, the CBI said and added that conspiracy charge was dropped on technical grounds and should be revived.

Haji Mahboob Ahmad in his writ petition questioned the dropping of conspiracy charge against Advani and others. He argued that the 21 accused including Dr.Murli Manohar Joshi, Vinay Katiyar, Ashok Singhal and Giriraj Kishore, were the persons who participated in the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992. But the trial court discharged them from the charge of conspiracy and this order was affirmed by the Allahabad High Court on technical grounds. Contending that the order to drop conspiracy charges was bad in law, he sought a direction to quash the High Court order.

The Bench has made it clear to the counsel that since 25 years had already passed, in the interest of justice to all, the matter should be heard in one court, preferably in Lucknow by including conspiracy charge against all the 21 accused and kar sevaks. Other leaders included are Uma Bharti, Dr. Joshi, Vinay Katiyar, Sadhvi Ritambara, Giriraj Kishore and Vishnu Hari Dalmia.