In a setback to L K Advani in the Babri Masjid demolition case, his former personal security officer Anju Gupta on Friday told a special CBI court here that the BJP leader made provocative speech at Ayodhya on the day the structure was brought down 17 years ago.

Deposing as a prosecution witness in the case in which Advani and other Sangh Parivar leaders have been accused of inciting violence, Gupta said that Sangh activists like Vinay Katiyar, Uma Bharti and Sadhvi Rithambhara also made provocative speeches.

Advani and other BJP leaders had repeatedly said that a "Ram temple will be built at the same spot where the mosque stood", she told the court.

After her deposition, Gupta was cross-examined by the defence. The court later adjourned the hearing in the case to April 23 when cross-examination of the IPS officer will resume.

In a setback to L K Advani in the Babri Masjid demolition case, his former personal security officer Anju Gupta on Friday told a special CBI court here that the BJP leader made provocative speech at Ayodhya on the day the structure was brought down 17 years ago.

Deposing as a prosecution witness in the case in which Advani and other Sangh Parivar leaders have been accused of inciting violence, Gupta said that Sangh activists like Vinay Katiyar, Uma Bharti and Sadhvi Rithambhara also made provocative speeches.

Advani and other BJP leaders had repeatedly said that a Ram temple will be built at the same spot where the 16th century mosque stood, she told the court.

After her deposition, Gupta was cross-examined by the defence. The court later adjourned the hearing in the case to April 23 when cross-examination of the IPS officer will resume.

Gupta is a 1990-batch IPS officer who was posted as the BJP leader's personal security officer during the period of convergence of lakhs of ‘Kar Sevaks’ at Ayodhya as well as the demolition of the mosque, testified as the ninth witness in the case.

She had made a detailed statement on the movement and activities of various Sangh leaders, including Mr. Advani, during the incident of December 6, 1992. It formed a key part of the criminal case the CBI filed against Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Vinay Katiyar, Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya and Sadhvi Ritambhara in 1993.

They were initially charged with making inflammatory speeches, inciting violence and conspiracy in the case.

The conspiracy charge was later dropped and in 2003, Mr. Advani was discharged. In July 2005, however, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court reinstated several charges against him, including provoking people into rioting and arson and creating discord among communities.

She had earlier deposed before the CBI, which probed the demolition of the 16th century mosque.

She had made a detailed statement on the movement and activities of various Sangh leaders, including Mr. Advani, during the incident of December 6, 1992. It formed a key part of the criminal case the CBI filed against Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Vinay Katiyar, Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya and Sadhvi Ritambhara in 1993.

They were initially charged with making inflammatory speeches, inciting violence and conspiracy in the case.

The conspiracy charge was later dropped and in 2003, Mr. Advani was discharged. In July 2005, however, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court reinstated several charges against him, including provoking people into rioting and arson and creating discord among communities.