<p>The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused a plea by senior BJP leader L K Advani to adjourn for four weeks the hearing on a CBI petition challenging a trial court’s decision to drop criminal conspiracy charges against him and several other leaders in the Babri Masjid demolition case.<br /><br />The court also hinted that the same bench of Justices P C Ghose and R F Nariman would consider the appeal in the 1992 case on Thursday.<br /><br />Justice Nariman, in particular, had earlier observed that the order discharging Advani and others was prima facie not correct.<br /><br />On Wednesday, Justice Ghose, who was sitting with Justice Deepak Gupta, said the matter was part-heard and would be considered on Thursday when Justice Nariman would join him on the bench.<br /><br />Advocate M R Shamshad, appearing for Haji Mahboob Ahmed, a petitioner in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suits, sought an adjournment for a week to file documents related to status of the cases before trial courts in Lucknow and Raebareli. At that point, senior advocate K K Venugopal, representing Advani, sought adjournment for four weeks due to personal difficulties.<br /><br />“That would take us to May. Are you seeking a date in May? So should it be taken up after the summer vacation,” Justice Ghose, who is retiring on May 27, asked Venugopal.<br /><br />However, the court fixed the matter for consideration on Thursday after the counsel agreed.<br />Questioning the CBI's conduct, a bench of Justices Ghose and Nariman had on March 6 said the order discharging the 13 accused on technical grounds was “prima facie” not correct. It also said that the investigating agency could have filed a supplementary charge sheet against them.<br /><br />“There is something is peculiar about this case,” the bench had said.<br /><br />The court then sought to know from the Central Bureau of Investigation why there couldn’t be a joint trial in the two cases registered in connection with the demolition, one each in Lucknow and Raebareli.<br />DH News Service</p>
<p>The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused a plea by senior BJP leader L K Advani to adjourn for four weeks the hearing on a CBI petition challenging a trial court’s decision to drop criminal conspiracy charges against him and several other leaders in the Babri Masjid demolition case.<br /><br />The court also hinted that the same bench of Justices P C Ghose and R F Nariman would consider the appeal in the 1992 case on Thursday.<br /><br />Justice Nariman, in particular, had earlier observed that the order discharging Advani and others was prima facie not correct.<br /><br />On Wednesday, Justice Ghose, who was sitting with Justice Deepak Gupta, said the matter was part-heard and would be considered on Thursday when Justice Nariman would join him on the bench.<br /><br />Advocate M R Shamshad, appearing for Haji Mahboob Ahmed, a petitioner in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suits, sought an adjournment for a week to file documents related to status of the cases before trial courts in Lucknow and Raebareli. At that point, senior advocate K K Venugopal, representing Advani, sought adjournment for four weeks due to personal difficulties.<br /><br />“That would take us to May. Are you seeking a date in May? So should it be taken up after the summer vacation,” Justice Ghose, who is retiring on May 27, asked Venugopal.<br /><br />However, the court fixed the matter for consideration on Thursday after the counsel agreed.<br />Questioning the CBI's conduct, a bench of Justices Ghose and Nariman had on March 6 said the order discharging the 13 accused on technical grounds was “prima facie” not correct. It also said that the investigating agency could have filed a supplementary charge sheet against them.<br /><br />“There is something is peculiar about this case,” the bench had said.<br /><br />The court then sought to know from the Central Bureau of Investigation why there couldn’t be a joint trial in the two cases registered in connection with the demolition, one each in Lucknow and Raebareli.<br />DH News Service</p>
