'Centuries Old Mosque Demolished': Contempt Plea In Supreme Court Against Gujarat Govt Officials

The contempt plea has been filed by Summast Patni Muslim Samaj, seeking action against the Collector of Gir Somnath and other officials.

The Supreme Court on September 17 had imposed an interim stay on any demolition in the country without its permission.

Source : ANI

A petition seeking contempt of court action against Gujarat government officials including the Collector from Gir Somnath has been filed in the Supreme Court regarding alleged illegal demolition of the Dargah Mangroli Shah Baba, Eidgah, and several other structures located in Prabhas Patan, Veraval, Gir Somnath.

The plea was today mentioned before the bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud led bench for hearing along with other petitions to be heard today by another bench that has stayed demolitions till October 1. The plea seeks initiation of contempt proceedings and impleads several officials including Gujarat State's Principal Secretary, a Collector and District Magistrate, SP (Gir Somnath).

The contempt plea has been filed by Summast Patni Muslim Samaj, seeking action against the Collector of Gir Somnath and other officials.

The plea submits that the government officials have carried out an early morning illegal demolition of centuries old Muslim religious places of worship including mosques, eidgahs, dargahs, mausoleums and residential places of Mutawallis of the said dargahs on 28.09.2024 without issuing any notices for such demolition and without granting any opportunity of hearing.

The plea further contends that the Gujarat government officials violated the Supreme Court order dated 17 September by carrying out demolitions without providing any prior notice.

The matter is listed today before bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Vishwanathan.

A seperate contempt of court plea was filed by 47 Assam residents in the Supreme Court against alleged illegal demolitions after the September 17 order.

The Supreme Court on September 17 had imposed an interim stay on any demolition in the country without its permission. The top court passed the direction invoking its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution.

The court however clarified that this stay won't be applicable to encroachments on public roads, footpaths, railway lines, waterbodies.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan passed this direction in a petition challengingg the alleged actions of various state governments in demolishing the buildings of persons accused of crimes as a punitive measure.