In a significant order, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Thursday dismissed the CBI’s plea challenging a lower court order in the Babri Masjid demolition case that dropped charges of criminal conspiracy against senior BJP leaders L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Vinay Katiyar, Uma Bharti, Kalyan Singh, VHP leader Ashok Singhal and 14 others.
In a 44-page order, Justice Alok Singh said: “Nothing is found against the correctness, legality, propriety or regularity in respect of any of the findings of the lower court.”
The CBI had gone to the high court to revive the criminal cases against Mr Advani and the others, against whom the trial court had dropped criminal conspiracy charges over the December 6, 1992 Babri demolition.
The high court’s ruling implies that the trial in criminal cases will now be conducted against 26 lesser known BJP, VHP and Bajrang Dal workers while the senior leaders will not be prosecuted for criminal conspiracy.