SC directs Uttarakhand HC to decide plea over Haridwar temple row

New Delhi: The Supreme Courton Tuesday directed the Uttarakhand High Court to decide the plea of “sevayat” of the Maa Chandi Devi Temple in Haridwar, seeking a stay on an order directing the Badri Kedar Temple Committee to appoint a receiver for overseeing the temple management.

A “sevayat” is a priest actively involved in the daily rituals and management of a temple.

A bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and S V N Bhatti directed the district magistrate (DM) of Haridwar to submit a report on whether there was any mismanagement in the temple administration.

While disposing of the plea, the top court asked the DM to submit a report to the high court, deferring the matter by six weeks.

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The plea of Mahant Bhawani Nandan Giri, filed in the top court through advocate Ashwani Dubey, contended that the high court, without any evidence or complaint, delegated the control of the temple to the committee.

The plea argued the direction was passed despite the presence of a panel — comprising the DM and senior superintendent of police of Haridwar — it constituted in 2012.

The petitioner further argued that the direction to appoint the receiver was passed during an anticipatory bail plea hearing of an accused in a criminal matter.

The Maa Chandi Devi Temple was founded in the 8th century by Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankaracharya and since then petitioner’s ancestors were stated to have been managing and looking after it as “sevayat”.

The plea claimed neither was there a complaint nor the question of mismanagement or misappropriation ever been flagged by the committee comprising the DM and the SSP.

“The high court passed directions which are arbitrary, illegal and perverse and outside the pleadings and without any specific relief, that too in violation of the principle of natural justice as the petitioner, who is the sevayat/chief trustee, was not heard,” the plea added.

The petitioner further accused the high court of not issuing a notice and passing directions.

The Uttarakhand High Courtpassed the order while hearing an anticipatory bail plea filed by one Reena Bisht, claiming to be the live-in partner of Rohit Giri, the head priest of the temple.

Rohit Giri’s wife, Geetanjali, got an FIR lodged on May 21 against her husband, Bisht and seven others, alleging that the woman attempted to run over her son with a vehicle on May 14.

On the same day, Rohit Giri was arrested by the Punjab Police in a separate molestation case and is currently in judicial custody.

The high court had observed that Rohit Giri was living with Bisht when his divorce proceedings were pending and Bisht gave birth to their child in January.

“Trustees of the temple are creating a noxious atmosphere … and there is complete mismanagement in the trust. It cannot be ruled out that there may be misappropriation of donations,” it had said.

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