Special CBI court to hear Ayodhya cases today

On May 20, the special CBI court began day-to-day hearing in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case and granted bail to the five Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders named as accused.

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Lucknow: A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court will on Wednesday resume hearing in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case.

The court postponed hearing on Monday as Satish Pradhan, one of the six accused, did not appear before it. The hearing could not resume on Tuesday as the judge was not available.

The court will also hear cases involving BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti.

The Supreme Court had last month directed that Advani, Joshi, Bharti and others will face trial on conspiracy charges and had transferred their case from Raebareli to Lucknow where another case was on in the matter.

On May 20, the special CBI court began day-to-day hearing in the politically sensitive case and granted bail to the five Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders named as accused.

Besides Ram Vilas Vedanti (59), those who appeared in the CBI court on Saturday were VHP leaders Champat Rai (71), Baikunth Lal Sharma (88), Mahant Nritya Gopal Das (79) and Dharmdas Maharaj (68).

Special CBI court judge SK Yadav granted them bail on two sureties of Rs 20,000 each and a personal bond of the same amount.

The Supreme Court had on April 19 directed the special court to start proceedings in the matter within a month and deliver its verdict within two years.

(With Agency inputs)