Raze illegal construction at excavated Delhi site, orders court

The Delhi High Court on Friday asked North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) to immediately raze the illegal construction from the site of a purported mosque excavated near the historic Jama Masjid in Delhi.

The Delhi High Court on Friday asked North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) to immediately raze the illegal construction from the site of a purported mosque excavated near the historic Jama Masjid in Delhi.

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The court asked the NDMC to immediately comply with the court's July 30 order which asked the civic authority to demolish the illegal construction from central Delhi's Subhash Park area with the assistance of police under the supervision of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

A special bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Justice Rajiv Shakdher and Justice ML Mehta said, "We expect the Delhi Police and authorities to comply with this mandate forthwith."

The structure was allegedly built by Delhi legislator Shoaib Iqbal at the excavation site at Subhash Park where the ruins of a purported 17th century mosque were found.

Passing the judgment, the court dismissed the Delhi Police reluctance to carry out the demolition on the plea of apprehension of breach of peace. Police had said they could not provide force to the NDMC to remove the illegal construction.

The bench also rejected Iqbal's plea for restrictions on the demolition of new construction and asked the court not to pass any order till ASI submits its report.