The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)’s appeal in Supreme Court challenging dropping of conspiracy charges against top senior BJP leaders in the Ayodhya dispute case will be heard afresh by a new Bench.
On Wednesday, one of the judges hearing the appeal pending since 2011 refused to hear the matter anymore and posted the case before the Chief Justice of India for constituting a new Bench.
The CBI appeal challenged a May 2010 order by Allahabad High Court dropping criminal conspiracy charge against lK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti and other BJP and VHP leaders in the Babri Masjid demolition case.
When the matter came up for hearing before a Bench of Justices V Gopala Gowda and Arun Mishra, one of the judges — Justice Gowda, expressed reservation to hear the case. Without giving any reason, the judge passed the order, “let the matter be placed before the Chief Justice of India.”
Besides the appeal of CBI, the Court also posted another appeal filed by one Haji Mahboob Ahmad before the CJI. The fresh appeal was entertained in 2015 as the petitioner alleged that since the BJP Government had come to power, he was apprehensive that CBI will act under pressure in the case. While hearing the petition, at one stage the apex court had observed why conspiracy charges should not be fastened again on Advani, Joshi and 16 others. But with Thursday’s order, hopes of an early end to the controversy have dimmed.