Sambhal demolition: SC asks petitioner to move HC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to examine a plea seeking contempt proceedings against Sambhal authorities for allegedly violating its verdict on demolition of properties and asked the petitioner to move the high court concerned. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K Vinod Chandran told the counsel for petitioner Mohammed Ghayoor, to “file it before the high court”.

“We find that the issue can be best addressed by the jurisdictional high court. We, therefore, dispose of the present petition with liberty to the petitioner to approach the jurisdictional high court,” it said. The court said in its November 13, 2024 verdict, it gave liberty that if there was any breach, the jurisdictional high court would be entitled to entertain the grievance. In his plea filed through advocate Chand Qureshi, the petitioner said the authorities violated the top court’s November 13, 2024 verdict which laid down pan-India guidelines and barred demolition of properties without a prior showcause notice and 15 days’ time to the aggrieved party to respond.

The plea claimed Sambhal authorities bulldozed a portion of the petitioner’s property on January 10-11 without notice or an opportunity to him or his family members to respond. After the order was dictated, the petitioner’s counsel said, “In the meantime, third party interest may not be created in my property.” “Go and file a prosecution. We had issued all necessary directions,” said the bench.

The petitioner said he was aggrieved by the arbitrary and illegal action of the authorities carried out in “complete violation” of the top court’s verdict. “The petitioner and his family members had all the necessary documents, approved maps and other related documents of the property but the contemnors came to the premises of the petitioner property and started demolishing the said property,” it said.