Babri case: CBI Court frames criminal conspiracy charges against Advani, Uma Bharti, Murali Manohar Joshi

A special CBI court on Tuesday, rejecting the discharge application of the 12 accused in the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992, framed criminal conspiracy charges against senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, and nine others under Section 120-B of the IPC.

Earlier in the day, the 12 accused were granted bail on personal bonds of Rs 50,000 each. The counsel of the accused had pleaded not guilty, which was rejected by the bench headed by Special CBI Judge Justice SK Yadav, while accepting arguments of the prosecution that it has all evidences to prove charges under Section 120-B. 

Earlier, Sections 147, 153-A, 153-B, 295 and 295-A of the IPC were slapped against the accused for allegedly instigating the crowds. 

At the time, two separate cases were being heard in connection with the mosque demolition. On April 19, the Supreme Court ordered a joint trial in a Lucknow Court, which was already trying the kar sevaks accused of demolition of the structure. The other court - a court in Rae Bareli - was conducting the trial of the leaders who allegedly instigated the crowd. It is in the latter case that BJP leaders including Union minister Uma Bharti and veterans L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi were accused before the apex court merged the cases.

The court then framed criminal charges against all 12 accused including Advani, Joshi, Uma Bhrati, Vinay Katiyar, Sadhvi Ritambhara, Vishnua Hari Dalmia, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Dr Ram Vilas Vedanti, Champat Rai Bansal, Baikunth Lal Sharma, Mahant Dharam Das Maharaj and Satish Pradhan.

Advani caused a flutter in the Court when he refused to sign the charge-sheet served on him on the ground that it contained some serious technical and typographical errors. The court immediately ordered for its correction. Later, the corrected charge-sheet was signed by all the 12 accused to complete the process of framing of charges against them.

In addition to other charges, the criminal conspiracy charges were slapped and added against these 12 accused following Supreme Court’s order dated April 19. There were as many as 49 accused, but most of them died in the past 25 years.