Gyanvapi: SC agrees to hear plea of Muslim side

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 18

The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to take up on May 19 a petition challenging the Allahabad High Court order for a “scientific survey”, including carbon dating, of a “Shivling” reportedly found at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi during a video survey in 2022.

Notice to ED on Jain’s bail plea

• The SC on Thursday issued a notice to Enforcement Directorate on former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain's bail plea in a money laundering case
• A Bench led by Justice AS Bopanna asked the ED to respond to his petition. It did not give any specific date for further hearing on the matter, but said Jain could approach the vacation Bench of the top court for relief
• Jain, who was arrested on May 30 last year by the agency, is accused of having laundered money through four companies allegedly linked to him. The case emanates from a CBI FIR registered against him in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act
• On behalf of Jain, advocate Abhishek Singhvi submitted the senior AAP leader was suffering from various ailments

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said it would hear on Friday the appeal filed by Gyanvapi mosque management committee against the High Court’s recent order for scientific investigation by the ASI to determine the age of “Shivling” after senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi mentioned it for urgent listing on behalf of the mosque management committee.

The Allahabad High Court has passed an order when the appeal was pending, he submitted.

During the 2022 survey, a “Shivling” was claimed by the Hindu side to have been found on May 16 last year during a court-mandated survey of the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple even as Muslim groups alleged it was a “fountain” on the mosque premises.

The HC on May 12 set aside the Varanasi District judge’s order which had rejected the application for a scientific survey and carbon dating of the “Shivling” on October 14, 2022 and directed the Varanasi District judge to proceed, in accordance with the law, on the application by the Hindu worshippers for conducting a scientific probe of the “Shivling”.

The HC had obtained a report from institutions like the IITs in Kanpur and Roorkee and Birbal Sahni Institute of Lucknow, before ordering for determination of the age of the structure.

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