Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Masjid case: Mathura court accepts revision plea

Hearing on maintainability of a plea seeking a survey of Shahi Idgah mosque could not take place on Monday as the court of additional district judge accepted a revision application of petitioners and asked the lower court to submit records related to the suit.

"Additional District Judge (7th) Sanjay Chaudhary (in-charge district judge for appeal and revision) has fixed the next hearing for August 11," advocate Rajendra Maheshwari, counsel-cum-petitioner in the suit, said.

During a hearing in the court of civil judge (senior division) Jyoti Singh on July 18, both sides pleaded to take their arguments first for discussion.

Apprehending disfigurement or removal of temple signs claimed to be present in the mosque, the petitioners wanted the court to take their plea first and order for a survey of Shahi Idgah Masjid.

In support of their plea, they also presented an order of the revision court dated May 26, 2022. However, the defendants pleaded to take maintainability of the suit first.

After the hearing on July 21, the civil judge (senior division) had ordered to hear maintainability of the suit first in the next hearing set for July 25.

The petitioners’ counsel Maheshwari on Monday again moved an application in the revision court challenging the order of the civil judge (senior division) passed on July 21.

The court of the ADJ not only accepted the revision application, but also asked the lower court to submit the records related to the case, Maheshwari said.

The lower court is hearing a bunch of suits for the removal of Shahi Idgah Masjid from near the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in the Katra Keshav Dev Temple complex and subsequent interim applications for appointing a court commissioner to survey the mosque.

The petitioners have sought the mosque’s survey, claiming the existence of several signs of temples, like those of “om, swastika and lotus” inside it besides its alleged “Hindu architecture”.

The pleas have been filed by deity Thakur Keshav Dev Ji Maharaj virajman (in-situ) in its capacity as a juristic person, represented by advocates Mahendra Pratap Singh and Rajendra Maheshwari as its “next friend”, among others. The other petitioners included United Hindu Front founder Jai Bhagwan Goyal, a Delhi resident, and Vrindavan’s Dharm Raksha Sangh president Saurabh Gaur.

The petitioners have also challenged the compromise made between authorities of Sri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan and Shahi Idgah mosque in 1968.

The defendants in the suit are Intezamia Committee Shahi Idgah Masjid and UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, among others.