New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday told the Supreme Court to revive conspiracy charges against former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president L.K. Advani and senior party leaders Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, along with others, in Babri mosque demolition case.

“Conspiracy charges must be initiated against some Bharatiya Janata Party leaders including L.K. Advani, Uma Bharti, Murli Manohar Joshi and Vinay Katiyar. Earlier, criminal conspiracy charges were dropped against 21 accused, including several BJP leaders on technical grounds. Of them, 14 persons, including BJP leaders, acquitted of the charges under criminal conspiracy, should be tried in Lucknow Court,” the CBI told the apex court.

In 2010, Allahabad High Court confirmed the order of the Rae Bareilly court freeing the BJP leaders.

However, senior lawyer K.K. Venugopal, who represented BJP leaders, insisted that there was no case against them.

“Is it a case that I conspired with one lakh (1000,000) kar sevaks (volunteers),” he asked.

Advani’s lawyer pointed out that if conspiracy charges are added, then 183 witnesses who had testified in a lower court would have to be called again.

Reacting to the court’s suggestion that the case be shifted from Rae Bareilly court to Lucknow, Venugopal registered his objection.

“L.K. Advani is aged 89 and Murli Manohar Joshi is 85. How can they appear on the fourth floor Lucknow court,” he said.

Last month, Supreme Court had adjourned the Babri mosque demolition case for two weeks and asked BJP leaders to give their written submissions.

“We will not accept the discharge of Advani and others on technical grounds. We will allow CBI to file a supplementary charge-sheet against 13 persons by including the conspiracy charges. We will ask the trial court to conduct a joint trial,” the Supreme Court had said on March six.

Meanwhile, reacting to the CBI’s charge, Katiyar on Thursday said the CBI appears to be confused in the case.

“The conspiracy charges do not hold water. No speech inciting the mob was ever made by me,” Katiyar said.

On December six, 1992, a large crowd of Hindu Kar Sevaks (volunteers) demolished the 16th-century Babri mosque in Ayodhya. The demolition occurred after a political rally at the site turned violent.

In Hindu mythology, the city of Ayodhya is considered the birthplace of Hindu deity Rama.