Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court on Friday (January 3) stayed the arrest of Samajwadi Party Member of Parliament (MP) Ziaur Rahman Barq in connection with a case registered for alleged provocation for violence during a court-ordered survey of Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid.
Barq has been named in a First Information Report (FIR) registered at the Sambhal police station for alleged provocation for violence during the survey in which four persons lost their lives.
High Court refused to quash FIR against Barq
A bench comprising Justice Rajiv Gupta and Justice Azahar Husain Idrisi, however, refused to quash the FIR against Barq and said that the probe against him would continue. The bench directed the Samjawadi Party MP to cooperate with the investigation.
Violence erupted in Sambhal on November 24
Violence erupted in Sambhal on November 24 over the court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid leaving four persons dead and several other injured, including police personnel.
Sambhal court order came on a plea by Hindu side seeking survey of mosque
The court order came on a plea filed by Hindu side seeking survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, claiming that the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal was built on the same location where Harihar temple stood earlier.
The Sambhal court, while allowing the plea of the Hindu side for survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, said that it is probable that the report of the survey will facilitate it in deciding the case.
Apex court directed Sambhal court to halt proceedings in the case
The Committee of Management, Shahi Jama Masjid, Sambhal later challenged the local court order before the Supreme Court and sought a stay on the Sambhal court order of the Sambhal court. The apex court, hearing the plea, directed Sambhal court to halt proceedings in the case and not to pass any order in the matter related to survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid and not to open any survey report till the matter is heard by the appellate court.
Court commissioner Ramesh Singh Raghav, who was appointed by the Sambhal court to conduct a survey of the mosque, submitted before the Chandausi court a detailed survey report of the mosque on Thursday in a sealed envelop.
