The SC has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation to explain as to why there was a delay in filing the appeal against the Allahabad High Court order in the Babri Masjid demolition case which upheld dropping of conspiracy charges against Bharatiya Janata Party and Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders.
The CBI had in 2011 moved the apex court challenging the May 21, 2010 order of the Allahabad High Court judgement, which had upheld a special court's decision to drop the charges against senior BJP leader LK Advani and 19 others. The CBI had taken more than 90 days, which was the time allotted to it to file an appeal against the HC order.
The High Court had at that time, however, allowed the CBI to proceed with other charges against Advani and others in a Rae Bareily court, under which the disputed structure falls. The Supreme Court had on December 6, 2012 directed a Rae Bareily court to expeditiously hear the case against senior BJP leader LK Advani and 19 others against whom charge of criminal conspiracy was dropped by the trial court.