Ayodhya case: SC refuses to interfere with the trial of cases

The Supreme Court has refused to interfere with the criminal proceedings in cases relating to demolition of disputed structure at Ayodhya in which the trial involving senior BJP leader L K Advani and seven other VVIPs were segregated from others. The apex court said it had in March 2007 decided the matter relating to the trial of cases and it can no longer regulate the proceedings which are taking place in Rae Bareli and Lucknow courts. It said any petition or application relating to the cases can be filed in the Allahabad High Court which has the supervisory authority over the subordinate courts. "We have disposed of all the petitions -- Special Leave Petition (SLP) and Review Petition relating to the cases. You go to the High Court and take appropriate order," a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices P Sathasivam and J M Panchal said on Tuesday. The Bench was hearing a PIL filed by advocate Wajahat Ansari seeking a direction that the trial in the demolition case be proceeded on the basis of a consolidated chargesheet filed by the CBI in 1993. He had sought that the trial of all accused including the eight VVIPS should be held at one place. Senior advocate Ravi Shankar Prasad, appearing for the BJP leader, said that the plea was not maintainable as in March 2007 it had dismissed the review petition. Taking note of the observation of the Bench that it was not inclined to regulate the matter, senior advocate S C Maheshwari, who was appearing for Ansari, decided to withdraw the petition which was filed in 2003. The apex court on 22nd March 2007 had dismissed a petition and applications seeking review of its verdict allowing trial of cases relating to demolition of the disputed Ram Janam Bhoomi Babri Masjid structure in Ayodhya before two separate courts at Rae Bareli and Lucknow. The Rae Bareli court is holding trial against eight prominent accused including senior BJP leaders L K Advani, M M Joshi and Vinay Katiyar, expelled BJP leader Uma Bharti, VHP leaders Ashok Singhal, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya, Giriraj Kishore and Sadhvi Rithambhara. The Rae Bareli court had in September 2003 quashed the charges against Advani while deciding to proceed against other seven persons. However, the Allahabad High Court on 7th July 2005 had set aside the trial court order and directed it to proceed against all the eight accused. Two cases were registered in connection with demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya on 6th December 1992. The CBI had taken a stand that since the two cases arise from the same incident and a consolidated chargesheet has been filed, it would be in the interest of justice that both cases be tried together at Lucknow. In the first FIR, 41 people were named as accused and the trial in the matter which is being held in a Lucknow court. The case relating to the second FIR, having the names of eight VVIPs as accused, is being tried at Rai Bareli court. Meanwhile, the apex court allowed Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy to file an application seeking impleadment as party in the related matters. Swamy said that unreasonable restrictions have been imposed on people and devotees who want to worship Lord Rama. He said the issue was pending in the apex court since 1996. (DD-10.2)

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