Ravi Kumar Diwakar, J. ordered the District Magistrate, Varanasi to seal the area where the Shivling was found and to prohibit the entry of people into the area. The Court also directed that the District Magistrate, the Police Commissioner and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to ensure that the sealed area is safe.
The order was passed after plaintiff’s counsel Harishankar Jain contended that Shivling has been recovered after the survey and the area should be sealed immediately. Supreme Court is set to hear an appeal filed by Muslim party Committee of Management of Anjuman Intezamia Masajid, challenging the videography and survey itself. The lower court had earlier appointed a court commissioner to conduct a survey and videography of the site. The same was challenged before Allahabad High Court which dismissed the appeal on 21-04-2022.
Subsequently, the Masajid Committee filed a plea before the lower court claiming that the court commissioner was biased and should be replaced.The same was dismissed on Thursday this week paving way for the survey.
Meanwhile, an appeal had been filed before the Supreme Court against the 21-04-2022 order of the Allahabad High Court permitting the survey.[Rakhi Singh v. State of U.P., CNR No. UPVR001067-2021, decided on 16-5-2022]