Shah meets Advani ahead of hearing in Babri mosque demolition case

Ahead of the hearing in the Babri mosque demolition case, Union Home Minister Amit Shah met senior BJP leader LK Advani at the latter’s residence in New Delhi on Wednesday (July 22), NDTV reported.

The meeting comes two days before Advani is scheduled to appear before a special CBI court via video conference. Sources said that Shah was accompanied by government lawyers while meeting Advani, who is one of the accused in the case.

The Supreme Court has asked the special court to finish the trial in the case by August 31. Conducting regular hearings, the court is recording statements of the 32 accused persons, under Section 313 of CrPC to enable them to plead their innocence, if they so want.

On August 5, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the Ram Temple that will be built in Ayodhya. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra (SRJTK) said there would not be more than 200 people, including 150 invitees, at the event.

The SRJTK, a trust set up by the Centre to oversee the construction of the temple, said it would invite Advani, besides Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti and Vinay Katiyar, who are also facing a trial in the case.