Lucknow, May 30 : The special CBI court on Tuesday ordered framing of charges against BJP leaders L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti and nine others in the Babri Masjid demolition case.
The charges will be framed under Section 120-B, criminal conspiracy.
Earlier, all the 12 accused had pleaded not guilty and had moved a ‘discharge application’ rejecting the charges levelled against them.
Special judge S.K. Yadav rejected the plea and ordered framing of charges against all the 12 accused.
The accused have, however, been given bail on personal bonds.
Bail was also granted to BJP leader Vinay Katiyar, VHP’s Vishnu Hari Dalmia and one-time Hindutva firebrand Sadhvi Ritambara, who too presented themselves before the court. They were given bail on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 each by the CBI Special judge. They appeared before the court for framing of charges in the light of a Supreme Court order restoring the serious offence of criminal conspiracy against them. After the court’s order on the discharge applications, charges will be framed in the politically sensitive case, lawyers attending the proceedings said.