Babri Masjid case: SC adjourns hearing

New Delhi, Jan 19: The Supreme Court has adjourned by six weeks hearing of the batch of petitions challenging the separation of trials of senior BJP and Sangh Parivar leaders for their alleged involvement in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

The petitioners are also seeking initiation of Contempt of Court proceedings against the leaders who include senior BJP leaders L K Advani and former Union Minister M M Joshi, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti, VHP leaders Ashok Singhal, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya, Acharya Giri Raj Kishore, Sadhvi Ritambara and others, for their involvement in the alleged conspiracy to demolish the Mosque on December 6, 1992, in violation of the assurance given to the apex court that the disputed structure would be protected.

The then UP Chief Minister Kalyan Singh was sentenced to one- day's token imprisonment following the demolition of the masjid. A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices G P Mathur and R V Raveendran adjourned the hearing yesterday in view of the ongoing trial of the accused persons.

The trial of the VVIPS was transferred from Lucknow to Lakhimpur Kheri while the trial of the other accused was on at Lucknow.

UNI