Sambhal mosque survey report: Plea seeks 15-day extension, trial court passes no order due to Supreme Court stay

The Shahi Jama Masjid survey was conducted on November 19 following orders from a court after a petition claimed that a temple existed at the site earlier.

The court of civil judge (senior division) in Sambhal on Monday ‘kept on file’ advocate commissioner Ramesh Raghav’s application seeking 15 days’ more time to submit the survey report of the Sambhal mosque on health grounds.

Tight security outside Sambhal court on Monday. (PTI PHOTO)

However, the court refused to pass any order citing the Supreme Court’s directive not to pass any order in the Sambhal mosque case and fixed January 8 as the next date of the hearing.

The court also admitted the Shahi mosque committee’s application in which it had objected to the advocate commissioner’s plea to extend the deadline for submission of the survey report.

Raghav said, “I had asked for 15 days from the honourable court but my application has been marked with ‘keep on file’ because the Supreme Court has given a stay order.”

Earlier in the day, he told reporters, “The final report of the survey is ready and is in the final stage. This report will be presented in a sealed envelope but due to health issues, I have asked for 15 days time from the court.”

“I had a fever for three days. I have not been able to analyse the report yet,” he added.

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“The court accepted applications of the advocate commissioner and the mosque committee, but did not pass any order due to the Supreme Court’s stay on the trial court proceedings in the Sambhal mosque survey case,” said Prince Sharma, district government counsel, Sambhal.

“The court has listed the case for the next hearing on January 8,” Sharma added.

The advocate commissioner sought a 15-day extension to submit the report on medical grounds, Sharma said.

A survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid was conducted on November 19 following orders from a court that came on a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain claiming that a temple existed at the site earlier.

Violence broke out on November 24 when the mosque was being surveyed again. Four people were killed and others injured in a clash between protesters and police. According to police, 29 of their personnel were injured in the incident.

After the violence, the Supreme Court on November 29 ordered the Sambhal trial court not to pass any order related to the survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, while directing the Uttar Pradesh government to maintain peace and harmony in the violence-hit town.

The Supreme Court had also listed the case for the next hearing on January 8.

The top court had also ordered to keep the survey report sealed until the Allahabad High Court hears the mosque committee’s plea.

The court of civil judges (senior division) in Sambhal district on November 19 ordered the appointment of an advocate commissioner to conduct a survey of Shahi mosque on an application filed by Jain.

Following orders of the court, Ramesh Raghav was appointed advocate commissioner. The initial survey of the mosque was carried out the same evening in the presence of district magistrate Rajendra Pensiya and district police chief Krishan Kumar.

A second round of the survey began on November 24, sparking protests and violence that claimed four lives.

At the next hearing on November 29, the trial court had granted 10 days to complete the report. The deadline ended on Monday.