Lucknow: CBI court giving a big relief here on Tuesday gave bail to BJP leaders L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and 10 others in the Babri Masjid demolition case.
Earlier Senior BJP leaders L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Union Minister Uma Bharati were charged by CBI court against their alleged role in the Babri Masjid demolition case in 1992.
Charges were also framed against Sadhwi Ritambhara, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Vinay Katiyar and Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Vishnu Hari Dalmia but got relief from court.
Last week, counsel of the accused had moved a plea in the court to exempt Advani, Joshi and Bharati from personal appearance, but it was turned down.
Charges against six others accused in the matter – Mahant Ram Vilas Vedanti, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Baikunth Lal Sharma, Dharm Das, Champat Rai Bansal and Shiv Sena’s Satish Pradhan, who were granted bail, was also framed in court on Tuesday.
All the accused were facing charges of conspiring to bring down the mosque.
Before this Central Bureau of Investigation had opposed dropping the charges against these leaders in the Supreme Court after which the apex court directed the special CBI court in Lucknow to hold daily hearings on the 25-year-old matter and wrap it up within two years.
