The Delhi High Court has denied permission for prayers at the recently demolished ‘Akhoondji mosque‘ and the nearby graveyard in Mehrauli on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat, a night of atonement observed by Muslims seeking forgiveness from Allah for their sins and those of their ancestors.
This decision came during the court’s handling of an application submitted by the Managing Committee of the Delhi Waqf Board. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav pointed out that the court has already directed a status quo on the site, which is now under the control of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
The application is part of a larger petition regarding the demolition. Justice Kaurav emphasized that the main petition, which the court has heard on multiple occasions, is scheduled for final resolution on March 7. Given this, the court has opted not to give any directives at this time and has dismissed the application.
The ‘Akhoondji mosque,’ believed to be more than 600 years old, and the Behrul Uloom madrasa in the vicinity were declared illegal structures in Sanjay Van and were demolished by the DDA on January 30.
The petitioner’s counsel argued that worshippers, whose families are interred in the nearby graveyard, should be allowed to offer prayers there during Shab-e-Barat later this month. The advocate stated that the mosque had been in use for centuries, and local residents had been using the active graveyard for many years.
On February 5, the high court directed the DDA to maintain status quo on the site of the demolished mosque. The petitioner committee contends that the demolition was illegal.
The DDA defended its actions in court, citing the January 4 recommendation of its Religious Committee. This recommendation was made following a hearing where the CEO of the Delhi Waqf Board was given an opportunity to present his case. However, the petitioner argues that the Religious Committee does not have the jurisdiction to order demolition.
On January 31, the court instructed the DDA to provide a detailed response outlining the actions taken regarding the property and the legal basis for them. It also requested information regarding any prior notices issued before the demolition.
(With PTI inputs)
