Babri Masjid demolition case: Supreme Court wants joint trial of all accused

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday expressed concern over the delay in the Babri Masjid case proceedings and called for joint trial of all the accused in the case.
The top court also said that the trials in Lucknow and Rae Bareli should be clubbed together.
The case has been posted for further hearing on March 22.
In 2010, Allahabad high court had discharged LK Advani and other senior leaders of the BJP and Hindu outfits on the charges of criminal conspiracy in the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
The CBI had moved the apex court on February 18, 2011 against the Allahabad High Court verdict.
The CBI had chargesheeted Advani and 20 others under sections 153A IPC (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).
But it subsequently invoked charges under Section 120 B (Criminal Conspiracy) which was quashed by the Special Court whose decision was upheld by the High Court.
The May 2010 order of the High Court had said there was no merit in the CBI's revision petition challenging the May 4, 2001 order of the special court which directed dropping of criminal conspiracy charges against them.