The Hindu : No question of dropping `conspiracy' charge: CBI

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Monday, Jul 21, 2003

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No question of dropping `conspiracy' charge: CBI

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JULY 20. As the Special Court at Rae Bareli hears arguments on charges being advanced by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) counsel against all eight accused in the Ayodhya case, including the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, the question being asked now is how soon the 11-year-old case would be wrapped up.

Highly-placed CBI sources told The Hindu on Saturday that initially when the first FIR 197/92 was registered the `conspiracy' charge was included against the accused who were not named. Subsequently, when the second FIR 198/92 was filed, there were specific offences against the eight accused and conspiracy did not figure in this case.

Sources pointed out that the case 198/92, registered by the Uttar Pradesh Police, was taken over by the CBI and the agency had neither added nor deleted any of the charges and so the question of dropping of the charge of `conspiracy' did not arise.

The charge of `conspiracy' was not there originally in the case, sources said.

Proceedings in the Special Court at Rae Bareli in the single case against the eight accused were independent of the proceedings going on in the Lucknow Court.

The CBI, before the Special Court, has tried to substantiate charges under Sections 153-A, 153-B, 147, 149 and 505 of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to spreading communal frenzy and creating ill-will. Once arguments on charge are over, the Special Court will take a decision on framing of charges.

A review petition filed by Mohd. Aslam Bhure against an order of the apex court upholding the Uttar Pradesh Government's notification transferring the case from a Lucknow special court to a Rae Bareli court is pending consideration in the Supreme Court, which had already issued notice to the eight accused.

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