Supreme Court to hear Babri Masjid demolition case today

New Delhi [India], Apr. 6 (ANI): The Supreme Court, on Thursday, is likely to examine whether to revive the conspiracy charges against senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leaders, Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Kalyan Singh and several others of the party in connection with the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case. In case, if the apex court orders for a joint trial, it would significantly mean that Advani and other leaders will be tried also for participating in a criminal conspiracy that led to the demolition of the Babri mosque and not just for instigating the crowd though provocative speeches. Earlier in the week, the apex court asked all parties to file their response in the matter. The apex court added it will hear the matter after two weeks. There are two sets of cases - one against BJP veteran leader 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. The 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 the IPC, which was quashed by the special court whose decision was upheld by the high court. (ANI)