SC to hear CBI plea in Babri Masjid demolition case today

CBI has lodged a plea against Allahabad High Court's order dropping criminal conspiracy charges against BJP leaders

The Supreme Court will today hear Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI's) plea against Allahabad High Court's order dropping criminal conspiracy charges against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Babri Masjid demolition case.

There are two sets of cases. The first one was against BJP veteran L K Advani and others who were on the dais at Ram Katha Kunj in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, when the Babri mosque was demolished. The other case was against lakhs of 'karsevaks' (volunteers) who were in and around the disputed structure.

CBI had chargesheeted Advani and 20 others under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between classes), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) and 505 (false statements, rumours etc. circulated with the intent to cause mutiny or disturb public peace) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

It had subsequently invoked charges under section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC which was quashed by the special court whose decision was upheld by the high court.