Apex court to take up conspiracy charge against Advani, others

The Supreme Court will on Tuesday hear a plea relating to restoration of criminal conspiracy charge against BJP leader L K Advani, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and others in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

Haji Mehboob, a petitioner in the title suit representing the Muslim community in the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi case, filed an application contending that the CBI may not seriously pursue the case as the accused were high functionaries including Kalyan Singh, who is now Rajasthan governor, in view of the changed political scenario. The petitioner urged the court to allow him intervene in the matter as he apprehended that the CBI may botch up the case.

“One accused of the said criminal trial, Rajnath Singh, is a Cabinet minister and the leader against whom there is a charge of serious omission. One other accused (Kalyan Singh) is governor of a state. Although CBI is technically under the office of Prime Minister but for all practical purposes, the Home Minister is also an important authority,” the petition filed by advocate M R Shashad stated.

Mehboob alleged that due to the change in political scenario, the entire litigation policy of the central government and various statutory authorities have seen substantial change in their stand and attitude.

The matter was mentioned before Chief Justice H L Dattu on Monday for an urgent listing and the CJI agreed to hear it with the main matter on Tuesday. The main matter relates to the CBI’s appeal against decisions of a special CBI court and HC to drop criminal conspiracy charge against Advani, Kalyan Singh, Uma Bharti and several others.