Advani exempted from personal appearance in Babri case

Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani and seven other accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case were on Tuesday exempted from personal appearance by a special court.

Special Chief Judicial Magistrate Vinod Kumar Singh, while passing the order, also gave the Central Bureau of Investigation the 'last chance' to file all paper concerning the case. He fixed May 31 as the next date for hearing the case.

Union Minister for Human Resources Murli Manohar Joshi, Bharatiya Janata Party Uttar Pradesh unit president Vinay Katiyar, BJP Madhya Pradesh unit president Uma Bharati, Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya and Sadhvi Rithambara are the other accused apart from Advani.