The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a petition in the special court at Rae Bareilly seeking permission to begin prosecution proceedings against Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani, Union minister Murli Manohar Joshi and 19 others in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

The petition was moved before the special CBI court last Friday.

As the post of the special CBI judge lay vacant following the retirement of Justice Shrikant Shukla, the petition was put up before district Judge J M Paliwal, who fixed February 26 for hearing the matter.

The CBI has sought permission to transfer the proceedings against the accused to the special court set up in 1993.

The case was hanging fire after the Allahabad high court quashed proceedings against Advani, Joshi and some others on the ground that its concurrence was not obtained before issuing the notification transferring the first information report, in which these accused were named, to the special CBI court.

The high court, however, said it was a legal defect and could be rectified.

Later, the Uttar Pradesh government, on being directed by the Supreme Court to make clear its stand on the matter, said the CBI could start proceedings at the Rae Bareilly court and there was no need to issue a fresh notification in this regard.

The apex court, upholding the UP government's viewpoint, held that the investigating agency could begin the trial at Rae Bareilly.

PTI