NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to maintain status quo till February 12 on the land in Mehrauli area, where the 600-year-old mosque Masjid Akhunji was demolished by the civic body.
While dealing with the urgent plea moved by the Managing Committee of the Delhi Waqf Board, Justice Sachin Datta, also, clarified that the status quo order will not affect the city authority to carry out its action on adjoining areas and it will only be applicable to the land in question.
In the wee hours of January 30, the mosque and the adjoining Madrasa Bahrul Uloom and various graves were razed to the ground following which the Waqf Board approached the high court.
The petitioners alleged that the demolition was conducted in a brazen manner while the Imam of the mosque and his family who were staying in the premises were left homeless all of a sudden.
It was argued by the petitioners that the demolition drive has violated judicial orders and conducted illegally without any survey of the property or prior notice,
Copies of the Quran were torn and the children were not even allowed to take their belongings and none of the records were protected, they submitted.
The civic authorities argued that the demolition drive was pursuant to the recommendation of the religious committee held on January 4.
Around 20 religious books are under the safe custody of DDA and it will be handed over, they told the court and they also argued that the petitioners are giving a religious colour into the matter.
Last week, the high court had asked the civic body to answer if it had given any prior notice before demolishing the mosque.
"Let the DDA file its reply within a period of one week clearly setting out the action that has been taken in respect of the property concerned and the basis thereof and as to whether any prior notice was given before taking the demolition action," the court had said in its order on January 31.