LUCKNOW : The Allahabad High Court on Monday rejected the Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid Committee’s civil revision petition against the trial court’s order directing an Advocate Commissioner to survey the mosque in connection with a suit that claimed the mosque was built after destroying the Harihar temple, which existed there.
However, with Monday’s order, the High Court bench, comprising Justice Rohit Ranjan Roy, upheld the trial court’s survey order and added that the Hindu plaintiffs are prima facie not barred. Sambhal Civil Judge Senior Division Aditya Singh passed the order for surveying the mosque on November 19, 2024, appointing Ramesh Singh Raghav as Advocate Commissioner.
After completing arguments on May 13, the High Court had reserved its decision. On January 8, 2025, the High Court issued an interim order staying the survey and seeking responses from all opposing parties.
Significantly, the trial court of Sambhal passed the survey order in response to a suit filed by eight Hindu plaintiffs, including senior Supreme Court advocate Hari Shankar Jain, Mahant Rishiraj Giri, and six others, who claimed that the Sambhal Jama Masjid was built in 1526 after demolishing the temple.
The Hindu plaintiffs had claimed that the present Jama Masjid was originally the site of the ancient Harihar temple dedicated to Kalki, the last incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Eight Hindu plaintiffs
Significantly, the trial court of Sambhal passed the survey order in response to a suit filed by eight Hindu plaintiffs who claimed that the Sambhal Jama Masjid was built in 1526 after demolishing the temple. The Hindu plaintiffs claimed that the present Jama Masjid was originally the site of the ancient Harihar temple dedicated to Kalki, the last incarnation of Lord Vishnu.