Sambhal mosque survey report deadline ends today
Advocate commissioner says report is in the final stages and if completed, it is likely to be presented in court on Monday
The 10 days’ time given by the Sambhal trial court for submission of the advocate commissioner’s survey report on the Shahi mosque in Sambhal ends on Monday.
“The court had given 10 days to complete the survey report. The deadline will be over on Monday,” said Ramesh Raghav, advocate commissioner, on Sunday.
“The report is still in the final stages. Some analysis is pending. If it is completed, then the report will be presented in court on Monday. Otherwise, we will seek more time from the court,” Raghav added.
After the violence in Sambhal on November 24 claimed four lives, the Supreme Court on November 29 ordered the Sambhal trial court not to pass any order related to the survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid while directing the Uttar Pradesh government to maintain peace and harmony in the violence-hit town.
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The top court had also ordered to keep the survey report sealed until the Allahabad High Court hears the mosque committee’s plea.
Following a petition by Supreme Court lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, the court of civil judges (senior division) on November 19 appointed Ramesh Raghav as the advocate commissioner to survey the Shahi mosque.
The advocate commissioner carried out an initial survey of the mosque on November 19 evening in the presence of district magistrate Rajendra Pensiya and district police chief KK Bishnoi.
A second round of the survey began on November 24, sparking protests and violence that claimed four lives.
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At the next hearing on November 29, the court had granted 10 days to complete the report.
Jain’s petition claimed that the Shahi mosque was the Hindu temple- Hari Har Mandir- dedicated to Lord Kalki.
Jain has made six parties to the case, including the Union of India through the Ministry of Home Affairs, Union of India through the Ministry of Culture, director general, Archeological Survey of India, Superintendent ASI of Meerut circle, district magistrate of Sambhal and management committee of Jama Masjid, Sambhal.
An important religious and historical site for the Muslim community, the Shahi mosque is believed to have been constructed around the 16th century by Mir Hindu Beg, a Mughal general. It is located in the heart of the city in Mohalla Kot Purvi.
The Shahi mosque is a protected monument notified on December 22, 1920, under Section 3, sub-section (3) of the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904. It figures on the ASI’s website (Moradabad division) in the list of centrally protected monuments.
“The ASI is the custodian of the property and is duty bound to make provisions for the access to the public subject to reasonable restrictions framed by the ASI,” said lawyer Vishu Shankar Jain in the petition.
On November 28, the Uttar Pradesh government announced the formation of a three-member judicial inquiry commission to investigate the November 24 violence in Sambhal.
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The commission was directed to complete its inquiry within two months from the date of notification. Any extension of this timeline will require approval from the government.
In the notification issued on November 28, governor Anandiben Patel emphasised the necessity of conducting a “thorough inquiry to serve the public interest and ensure transparency”.
The inquiry commission is headed by Justice Devendra Kumar Arora, a retired judge of the Allahabad High Court. The other members are Amit Mohan Prasad, a retired IAS officer, and Arvind Kumar Jain, a retired IPS officer, the notification said.
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