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The special court , hearing the Babri Masjid demolition case, has reserved its verdict on the tricky question of launching prosecution proceedings against top Bharatiya Janata Party and Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders, earlier chargesheeted by the country's premier investigation agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Additional district and sessions judge S K Shukla has fixed May 4 for a final order on the issue, which has been pending since February ,when the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court intervened.
The high court had invalidated the government notification, whereby criminal proceedings had been initiated against eight top BJP and VHP leaders in the special court of the CBI.
Among these leaders were Union Home Minister L K Advani, Union HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, Union Sports Minister Uma Bharti, VHP chief Ashok Singhal and Bajrang Dal president Vinay Katiyar.
However, their names were included in another criminal case registered the same day and on the same issue of the Babri mosque demolition . Fortyseven persons were named in the second case.
The CBI had filed a consolidated chargesheet in the two criminal cases . This chargesheet had been upheld in the high court order that had invalidated the notification. Thus, the CBI insisted on initiation of prosecution proceedings against the 47 accused, which included the eight leaders.
The defence counsel sought dropping of proceedings against the eight, on the basis of the high court order.
While arguments and counter-arguments had been put forth by both sides, the special court Friday decided to reserve its verdict and fix May 4 for expressing its view.
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