HC order on ‘illegal’ mosque pitches police against civic body
20 Oct 2012 9:03 AM IST
The Delhi high court has directed the Delhi Police to provide security to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation [NDMC] officials for razing an illegal mosque built in Subhash Park in front of the Red Fort. This has led to a stand-off between the civic body and the police department.
Within two hours of the court passing the order, the NDMC commissioner P K Gupta shot a letter to the Delhi Police commissioner with a copy to the concerned police officers of the area to provide appropriate security within 24 to 48 hours to raze the illegal structure. However, according to sources, the Delhi Police is planning to approach the Supreme Court.
'If the force is not provided within 24 hours we will file a case of contempt of court order in the Delhi high court. The NDMC is the legal owner of the land on which the construction was carried out illegally, misusing the position of the land,' said Yogender Chandolia, the chairman of a standing committee of the NDMC.
In its order on Friday, the Delhi high court dismissed the plea to modify an earlier order, asking it to provide help and security to the Archeological Survey of India [ASI] in razing the structure. Terming the plea as 'infructuous' to 'a large extent', a three-judge bench, headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, said, 'The application is accordingly dismissed.'
According to the order, the Delhi Police will have to make necessary arrangement for the NDMC to carry out its task under para 34 [v] of the order and the statutory mandate be carried out under the supervision of the ASI, which controls the area.
Within two hours of the court passing the order, the NDMC commissioner P K Gupta shot a letter to the Delhi Police commissioner with a copy to the concerned police officers of the area to provide appropriate security within 24 to 48 hours to raze the illegal structure. However, according to sources, the Delhi Police is planning to approach the Supreme Court.
'If the force is not provided within 24 hours we will file a case of contempt of court order in the Delhi high court. The NDMC is the legal owner of the land on which the construction was carried out illegally, misusing the position of the land,' said Yogender Chandolia, the chairman of a standing committee of the NDMC.
In its order on Friday, the Delhi high court dismissed the plea to modify an earlier order, asking it to provide help and security to the Archeological Survey of India [ASI] in razing the structure. Terming the plea as 'infructuous' to 'a large extent', a three-judge bench, headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, said, 'The application is accordingly dismissed.'
According to the order, the Delhi Police will have to make necessary arrangement for the NDMC to carry out its task under para 34 [v] of the order and the statutory mandate be carried out under the supervision of the ASI, which controls the area.
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