New Delhi: The Rajasthan high court on Thursday barred the Vijay Nagar municipality from bulldozing properties belonging to the accused in a sexual assault case involving five minor girls.
The Wire had previously reported that the Vijay Nagar municipality had issued demolition notices to a whole neighbourhood, including a 100-year-old mosque, after a group of Muslim men were accused of assaulting minor Hindu girls last month.
The demolition notices had come in response to protests by right-wing groups.
Appearing for the accused, advocate Syed Saadat Ali said that the administration was not following the Supreme Court guidelines on demolitions and overlooked the response to the notices.
Ali cited due process that needs to be followed before any demolition – mandatory inspection and a signed endorsement of any such action by two elected representatives. He said that these measurer are meant to ensure that “only unauthorised and non-compoundable constructions are targeted”.
The court directed Ali to provide a copy of the writ petition to additional advocate general G.S. Gill and asked the respondents to file their responses before the next hearing on March 11.
Background
The Rajasthan police had, last month, arrested a group of Muslim men – seven adults and three minors – for allegedly sexually assaulting and blackmailing five minor girls from the Hindu community over a period of time.
The accused had received demolition notices on February 20, for an alleged violation of sections 194 and 245 of the Rajasthan Municipality Act, after right-wing groups had demanded bulldozer action against the men.
Right-wing groups often use the bogey of ‘love jihad’ while referring to interfaith romantic relationships between Muslim men and Hindu women. The term has been invented by Hindutva groups to accuse Muslim men of entrapping Hindu women on the pretext of love.
A notice was also issued to the administration of the Jama Masjid in Rajnagar area of the town, asking it to provide documents pertaining to proof of ownership of the mosque within a period of three days.
