SC to fix venue for trial in Babri Masjid demolition case tomorrow

New Delhi, Mar 21 (UNI) The Supreme Court will pronounce its verdict on the venue of trial in Babri Masjid demolition case tomorrow and it will also decide the fate of former Deputy Prime Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani.

Charges were framed against eight senior leaders of Sangh parivar including Mr Advani, former BJP national president Murli Manohar Joshi, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) President Vishnu Hari Dalmia, VHP Joint Secretary Giri Raj Kishore, VHP Secretary General Ashok Singhal, BJP MP from Faizabad Vinay Katiyar and Sadhvi Ritambra by a Lucknow special court for their involvement in the December 1992 Babri Masjid demolition .

The case against the eight senior leaders was later transferred to Rai Bareli court which had discharged Mr Advani and diluted charges against seven other VIPs. Trial of other Kar Sevaks was also separated for the trial of eight VIPs.

A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan will decide the petition filed by Mohammed Aslam Bhure challenging the government notification shifting the trial from Lucknow to Rai Bareli court.

The fate of Mr Advani will depend on tomorrow's decision of the court.

If the court decides to shift back the venue of trial to Lucknow then the charges against Mr Advani will automatically stand revived and if the apex court upholds the impugned notification then the charges against Mr Advani will stand dropped while seven others will face the trial.

These leaders are facing allegations of instigating and exhorting the crowd by delivering inflamatory speeches which ultimately led to the demolition of Babri Masjid desptie the assurances given to the Supreme Court by the then Kalyan Singh government in the state that the structure will be protected at all costs.

Kalyan Singh was sentenced to one-day's symbolic imprisonment by the apex court for not keeping the promise given to the apex court about the safety of the structure. The demolition had led to nationwide communal riots and 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai, which left over 200 dead and hundreds injured, were also allegedly caused to settle scores for the demolition of the mosque.

UNI