Date:02/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/02/stories/2008010253420400.htm

New Delhi

Temple “mahant” challenges order

Staff reporter

NEW DELHI: The “mahant” of Kalkaji Temple in South Delhi has filed an appeal against a Delhi High Court order directing the Delhi police to lodge an FIR against him and investigate his alleged role in the sale of a piece of land of the temple illegally.

The “mahant” through his counsel filed the appeal on Monday. It came up for hearing before a Division Bench of the Court comprising Justice H.R. Malhotra and P.K. Bhasin. But they refused to issue any notice saying that it would be taken up for hearing by a regular Bench after the winter vacation as there was no urgency in it.

‘Case erroneous’

In the appeal, the “mahant” submitted that the order by Justice S.K. Kaul of the Court directing the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi police to register a case against him was erroneous as the Judge had made no finding in the order.

Mr. Justice Kaul had also imposed a fine on Rs.1.5 lakh on the “mahant” for wasting the time of the Court by filing a suit for recovery of the property.

The EOW would register a case against the “mahant” and four of his relatives to whom he sold the property and take action according to the law after a probe, the Court had ordered.

The Centre had transferred the land in question to the Delhi Development Authority in 1983 but the “mahant” sold it fraudulently to his relatives in 1999.