Court reserves order on plea to hand over keys of basement at Gyanvapi complex to DM
Varanasi (UP) (PTI): A court here on Saturday completed the hearing on a petition seeking the handing over of keys to the basement at the Gyanvapi mosque complex to the Varanasi district magistrate and reserved its order for October 4.
Authorities had barricaded and locked the basement known as Vyas ji ka Tehkhana in 1993. Prior to it, the basement was used for worship by Somnath Vyas, a priest, according to petitioner Madan Mohan Yadav.
Yadav has pleaded that the key be handed over to the district magistrate, fearing that the contents of the basement could be tampered with.
District Judge AK Vishvesh on Friday posted the matter to Saturday for further hearing after accepting the Kashi Vishwanath Trust's plea for more time to prepare its argument.
Yadav claimed that during the hearing, the advocate for the Kashi Vishwanath Trust said that they have no objection to the plea for handing over the keys of the basement to the district magistrate.
"The court has now reserved its order on the matter for October 4," district government counsel Rajesh Mishra said.
The Archaeological Survey of India is carrying out a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises, next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple here, to determine whether the 17th-century mosque was constructed over a Hindu temple.
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'Strong evidence' available against Saif attacker, police tell court while opposing his bail plea
Mumbai, Jul 25 (PTI): Police have opposed the bail plea of the Bangladeshi national arrested for allegedly stabbing Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan with a knife and injuring him at his home here in January this year, telling a Mumbai court there was "strong evidence" against the accused.
Citing a Forensic Science Laboratory report, police reiterated before the sessions court their earlier claim knife fragments that got lodged near the actor's spine during the attack as well as a part found at the crime spot have matched with the weapon recovered from the accused, Shariful Islam.
These three pieces were part of the same weapon (knife) used to attack the filmstar, the police said in a written response to the accused's plea submitted in the court on Thursday (July 24).
Khan was repeatedly stabbed with a knife by an intruder inside his 12th floor apartment in upscale Bandra on January 16 during a robbery attempt.
The 54-year-old actor underwent surgery at Lilavati Hospital to remove a piece of knife that got lodged near his spine during the attack. He was discharged from the private hospital after five days.
Shariful Islam, a Bangladeshi national, was arrested two days later for allegedly stabbing Khan.
The police, in their response, highlighted that the accused is a Bangladeshi citizen residing illegally in India.
If granted bail, there was a possibility that he may flee India and not appear before the court during the trial. The crime committed by the accused is of a "very serious nature, and strong evidence" is available against him, they argued.
In his bail plea, filed through advocate Vipul Dushing, the accused asserted he was innocent and had no prior criminal record.
Investigation into the case has practically concluded with only the filing of a chargesheet pending, the accused contended while seeking bail.
The alleged attacker has been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections related to house trespass, robbery and dacoity with attempt to cause death or grievous injury.
