Court commissioner seeks 15-day time to submit report

Chandausi: In a fresh development in the Shahi Jama Masjid survey case, court-appointed commissioner Ramesh Singh Raghav on Monday requested an additional 15 days to submit his report, citing health issues. The report, originally due on November 29, was delayed after Raghav sought an extension, which the court granted until December 9.

Raghav informed the court that while the report is nearly complete, his ill health has caused a delay in its finalisation. The court accepted his request and allowed more time for submission. He assured that the report would be presented in a sealed envelope once finalized.

The Muslim side has objected to the repeated extensions. Zafar Ali, counsel for the Muslim petitioners, said, “We have raised our objections before the court. It is now up to the court to decide the next course of action. Any further steps will be guided by rulings from the High Court and Supreme Court.”

The controversy dates back to November 19, when a petition was filed in the Chandausi Civil Judge (Senior Division) court, claiming that the Shahi Jama Masjid was originally a Harihar temple. Acting on the plea, the court appointed a commissioner and directed an immediate survey of the mosque premises.

The initial survey was conducted the same day, followed by a second survey on November 24. However, the second survey sparked violent clashes, leaving five people dead and several others, including police personnel, injured. In response, heavy police and PAC deployment was ordered across the Sambhal region to maintain law and order.

The delay in submitting the survey report has further escalated tensions. The Muslim petitioners have accused the commissioner of negligence, while Raghav has attributed the delay to health concerns. He maintained that the report is nearly complete and will be filed soon.