The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court was told on Monday there was 'ample material' to prosecute Bharatiya Janata Party president Lal Kishenchand Advani in the Babri masjid demolition case.
The court was hearing a criminal revision petition filed by Haji Mehboob challenging Advani's discharge in the case by the special court in Rae Bareli.
The special court had on September 19, 2003 discharged Advani but ordered that summons be issued against seven others -- former Union ministers Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders Ashok Singhal, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya and Giriraj Kishore, former state BJP president Vinay Katiyar and Sadhvi Ritambhara.
The seven accused, later, filed criminal revision petitions in the HC, which stayed the proceedings of the Rae Bareli court.
The petitioner's counsel Anoop George Chaudhary pleaded before Justice Y R Tripathi that Advani should be prosecuted along with the other accused persons. The hearing will continue on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, another bench, headed by Justice M A Khan, hearing the criminal revision filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation challenging the order of the Special Judge (CBI) S K Shukla, fixed April 15 for further hearing of the matter.
CBI counsel P K Chaubey made available the copies of the revision petitions to the respondents.
The Special Judge (CBI) had on May 4, 2001 dropped proceedings against 21 accused, including Advani, Joshi, Bharti and others, following quashing of the second notification by the state government constituting the special court for trying these accused.
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