Babri case: CPM hails court's decision of framing charges against BJP leaders

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Tuesday expressed happiness over the CBI court framing charges against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veterans in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

CPI (M) leader Nilotpal Basu said in the past his party had raised question over the delay caused in the framing of the charges.

"This has come almost 20 years later. Everything had reached its culmination but just because the accused have now been named in the chargesheet they did not attend that particular proceedings of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court that time," said Basu.

"We in the past had questioned that why a chargesheet in the regard is not being finalised. These people are master in interpreting and reinterpreting the constitution. We are happy with the progress," he added.

Meanwhile, asserting on the fact that bail of the BJP veterans is not a surprise, former attorney general Soli Sorabjee said that the court did not find discharge application fit hence framed the charges.

"A bail has been granted and it is not surprising, it was expected. The case is in trial for the past 25 years and this is a question of discharge. The discharge application has not succeeded. The court has rejected the discharge application and the charges are being framed,' said Sorabjee.

In a major setback to BJP veterans Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court earlier today rejected their discharge application, framing charges against them and the other nine accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

Charges of criminal conspiracy under section 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) have been framed.

However, the accused will now move the Allahabad High Court against the CBI court's order.

Earlier today, the court granted bail to all the accused by signing a personal bond of Rs. 20,000.

"They have been granted bail by signing bonds of Rs. 20,000. We have submitted discharge application. If the court rejects it, then charges will be framed," said lawyer of accused Prashant Atal.

The court had also asked BJP leader Vinay Katiyar, VHP's Vishnu Hari Dalmia and Sadhvi Ritambara to present themselves before the court in person.

While directing the accused to present themselves in person, the judge had said no application for adjournment or exemption from personal appearance shall be entertained.

The court, which is hearing two separate cases relating to the demolition, would also frame charges against Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Mahant Ram Vilas Vedanti, Baikunth Lal Sharma alias Prem Ji, Champat Rai Bansal, Mahant Dharma Das and Satish Pradhan in the second matter.

The Supreme Court had on April 19 ordered prosecution of Advani, Joshi, Uma Bharti, and other accused for criminal conspiracy in the politically sensitive case. It had also ordered day-to-day trial to be concluded in two years.

The apex court ordered that two separate cases in Lucknow and Raebareli against Advani, Joshi and Bharti and unknown 'kar sevaks' shall be brought together in one trial.

The apex court also directed the trial court in Lucknow to commence the proceedings in four weeks and hear the matter on a day-to-day basis so as to complete the hearing in two years. The apex court also said there will be no 'de novo' (fresh) trial.

The CBI has been ordered to ensure that at least one prosecution witness appears in the trial court for recording of testimony.

To ensure a speedy trial, the top court has given two important directions - first, no party shall be granted adjournments without the sessions' judge being satisfied of the reasons for it; second, the trial judge hearing the case shall not be transferred till the judgement is delivered.