Prayagraj: In a big win for the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi case, the Allahabad High Court has upheld the decision of Varanasi High Court on offering prayers in Vyas Tehkhana dismissing the appeal of Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee (AIMC). The AIMC representing the Muslim side had challenged the order of Varanasi District Court which allowed Hindus to offer prayers inside the  'Vyas Ka Tehkhana' area in the Gyanvapi complex. 

Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee manages the Gyanvapi Mosque Complex. It moved the high court on February 2, hours after the Supreme Court refused to hear its plea against the district court order and asked it to approach the high court.

Dismissing the appeals, Justice Agarwal said, "After going through the entire records of the case and considering the arguments of the parties concerned, the court did not find any ground to interfere in the judgment passed by the district judge on January 17, appointing the Varanasi district magistrate as the receiver of the property, as well as the order dated January 31 by which the district court permitted puja in the tehkhana."  The Bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal had reserved the decision on February 15 after hearing both the sides. 

The complex has four 'tehkhanas' (cellars) in the basement, of which one is still in the possession of the Vyas family, who used to live there. The prayers are now being conducted by a "pujari" nominated by the Kashi Vishwanath temple trust and the petitioner, who has claimed that his grandfather offered puja in the cellar till December 1993.

On January 31, the Varanasi District Court had allowed priest Shailendra Kumar Pathak to resume puja in the tehkhana. The Varanasi Court's decision came after the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) submitted its report.