Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The J&K and Ladakh High Court has scrapped all suspiciously executed transfer deeds and revenue record entries for 160-Kanal land by restoring an asset worth over Rs 400 crore to the Raghunath temple in the Barzalla locality of Srinagar city.
In a historic verdict, the High Court has ordered an immediate Government takeover of approximately 140 Kanals of temple land in Bagat-e-Barzulla (Bulbul Bagh), unlawfully occupied by senior advocate and former J&K Bar Association President, Mian Qayoom. Mian Qayoom was arrested in connection with the murder of advocate Babar Qadri in the Hawal area of Srinagar city by terrorists on September 24, 2020.
Qayoom had settled his family members in over 25 houses on this land, including a self-constructed mosque and a 15-flat apartment building all on Raghunath Temple land. The High Court ruled that the illegal occupation was facilitated by corrupt revenue officials and an impostor Major Arjun Singh, who posed as Mahanat Arjun Dass.
The judgement was delivered by a division bench of the high court comprising Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice MA Chowdhary.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar has been directed to take over the management of the temple and its properties immediately.
The historic judgement said, “Henceforth, no mutations shall be attested in the name of any Mahant or his disciple. The properties shall remain in the temple’s name under the management of the District Administration and shall be so recorded in the revenue records. Deputy Commissioner Srinagar or the committee appointed by him, shall ensure that the temple’s properties are put to beneficial use. The profits derived from these properties shall be exclusively used for the maintenance of the temple and other charitable and religious purposes.”
