HC seeks Centre's response on plea against Ansal's passport
New Delhi, Sep 19: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Centre, the Delhi government, the Chief Passport Officer and businessman Sushil Ansal to file responses on a plea that sought cancellation of his passport.
Justice Najmi Waziri asked the Chief Passport Officer to submit an application filed by Ansal regarding his passport and listed the matter for October 3.
The court was hearing a plea by the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) Chairperson Neelam Krishnamoorthy who alleged that Ansal concealed or gave false information to authorities for renewal of his passport.
The plea alleged that Ansal obtained the passport through illegal means by suppressing the most material information -- that he is facing criminal charges and has been convicted and sentenced for two years in the Uphaar fire tragedy.
In her plea, Krishnamoorthy sought direction to the Central government to initiate an inquiry into the conduct of the passport authorities and Ansal over alleged issue of the passport without following due procedure as mandated by the Passports Act.
She challenged a trial court order that had dismissed her application for initiation of an inquiry against Ansal.
The plea said that Ansal had played a fraud on all criminal courts as he had not taken a no-objection certificate from any of these courts in the past 21 years.
He did not even seek no-objection certificate from the Supreme Court during pendency of his appeal in the main Uphaar fire tragedy case.
In 2014, the Supreme Court convicted Sushil Ansal and his brother Gopal Ansal and restrained them from travelling abroad without permission.
Krishnamoorthy also mentioned a response from the Prime Minister's Office, which said that "Ansal has suppressed material information in the application form and has connived with passport authorities to get his passport reissued without following the due process of law".
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Bhojshala case: Disputed structure built from remains of pre-existing temples, claims ASI
Indore (PTI): The ASI has told the Madhya Pradesh High Court that a massive structure dating back to the Paramara kings' rule existed at the disputed Bhojshala temple-Kamal Maula mosque complex, and the current structure was built from the remains of temples.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) made the claim on Tuesday based on its 98-day scientific survey and over 2,000-page report.
The Hindu community considers Bhojshala a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim side claims the monument as the Kamal Maula Mosque. The disputed complex is protected by the ASI.
During the hearing before Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi of the HC's Indore bench, Additional Solicitor General Sunil Kumar Jain, representing the ASI, presented a detailed account of the scientific survey conducted two years ago at the complex.
Referring to the ASI's survey report, he said, "Retrieved architectural remains, sculptural fragments, large slabs of inscriptions with literary texts, Nagakarnika inscriptions on pillars, etc, suggest that a large structure associated with literary and educational activities existed at the site. Based on scientific investigations and archaeological remains recovered during the investigations, this pre-existing structure can be dated to the Paramara period."
It can be said that the existing structure was made from the parts of earlier temples, based on scientific investigations, survey and archaeological excavations conducted, study and analysis of retrieved finds, study of architectural remains, sculptures, and inscriptions, art and sculptures, Jain said quoting the report.
Summarising the report, he also drew the court's attention to the fact that the archaeological study identifies that many architectural components, such as pillars and beams, were originally part of temple structures before being repurposed for a mosque.
"The evidence of this transition includes Sanskrit and Prakrit inscriptions that were damaged or hidden, alongside sculptures of deities and animals that were often mutilated or defaced," Jain contended.
The report also states that "all Sanskrit and Prakrit inscriptions are older than the Arabic and Persian inscriptions, indicating that users or engravers of the Sanskrit and Prakrit inscriptions occupied the place earlier".
In light of the Muslim side's earlier objections, the bench wanted to know why there were some discrepancies in the ASI's responses regarding the status of the disputed complex in the cases filed over the years.
The Additional Solicitor General argued that earlier studies of the complex involved only officials, while the current survey involved scientists and the use of advanced technologies such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR).
The hearing in the Bhojshala case will continue on Wednesday.
The high court has been regularly hearing four petitions and one writ appeal regarding the religious nature of the Bhojshala temple-Kamal Maula mosque complex since April 6.
