SC upholds trial in Babri Masjid case at Rae Bareilly as valid

New Delhi, Mar 22 (UNI) The Supreme Court today upheld the shifting of the trial of eight BJP and VHP stalwarts, including L K Advani, in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case at Rae Bareilly as valid.

A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan thereby dismissed a petition by Mohammed Aslam alias Bhure seeking the transfer of the case from Rae Bareilly to Lucknow.

Other cases relating to Babri Masjid demolition are being tried at Lucknow.

The Rae Bareilly Court had already dropped the conspiracy charge against Mr Advani.

The judgment on the review petition was reserved on August 29 last year.

The Supreme Court on September 28, 2002, had held valid a notification issued by then Mayawati government separating the cases against the eight leaders and transferring them to Rae Bareilly for trial by a special CBI court.

Besides Mr Advani, the other accused in the case are Mr M M Joshi, Mr Vinay Katiyar, Ms Uma Bharati, Ms Sadhvi Ritambhara, Mr V H Dalmiya, Mr Ashok Singhal and Acharya Giriraj Kishore.

UNI