A mosque in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district has come under scrutiny after a survey reportedly found that it was constructed on land designated for use as a graveyard.
A case has been registered against seven members of the management committee of the Sambhal mosque that was reportedly registered with the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Board on June 19, 2023.
A survey of a plot in the Kaserua village found there to be a mosque present in an area recorded as graveyard land in the revenue records, Khabar Hussain, the Lekhpal of Sambhal tehsil said, reported news agency PTI.
Based on Hussain's complaint, a case was registered against the mosque committee's members - Zakir Hussain, Taslim, Bhure Ali, Sharfuddin, Dil Sharif, Mohbad Ali and Nanhe.
It is further alleged that the mosque management concealed from the Central Waqf Board that the land was designated as a graveyard and submitted false evidence to have the property declared as Waqf.
According to a complaint filed on Sunday, the mosque committee allegedly presented false information to the Sunni Central Waqf Board. Details of the land's designation as a cemetery were ommitted out of the documents the mosque panel submitted to the board.
The case has reportedly been registered under Section 329(3) (criminal trespass and house-trespass) of the BNS and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.
{{/usCountry}}The case has reportedly been registered under Section 329(3) (criminal trespass and house-trespass) of the BNS and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.
{{/usCountry}}Notably, Sambhal is central to another dispute involving a mosque - the Shahi Jama Masjid-Harihar temple dispute. The dispute intensified in November last year when the Hindu side claimed that the mosque was actually the ancient Shri Harihar Temple.
Following these claims, a court-ordered survey was conducted was at the premises in two phases in November.
The mosque committee had challenged the civic court's order directing the surbey, but the Allahabad High Court, but the court had upheld the lower court’s directive.
(With PTI inputs)