Ujjain: The Indore bench of MP High Court (HC) on Thursday directed the religious trusts and endowments department, Ujjain divisional commissioner, district collector, SP and Managalnath Temple Management Committee to file their reply on a writ petition (WP) filed against the alleged mismanagement and unethical activities carried out by the administrator, Pandas and Pujaris of temple.
A divisional bench comprising justice Sujoy Paul and Shailendra Shukla issued notices to the respondents on the WP filed by local Scouts and Guides volunteer Narendra Singh Yadav. Petitioner’s counsel Lokesh R Bhatnagar said that local administration as well as the management committee have failed to manage the Mangalnath Temple properly.
Even the administrator appointed by the government was found manipulating and squeezing money from shop owners and pilgrims and taking illegal gratifications from the Pujaris and Pandas at the Mangalnath Temple, he alleged.
According to the WP, several complaints were lodged by the local resident as well as Pujaris, Pandas, shop keepers and employees but with help of local administration all complaints were dealt with cursorily. The administrator was let off with simple measures like stopping of increments.
The shops in the vicinity of temple were given to the interested parties without due process of allotment. The shops were even allotted to family members of unauthorised pujaris.
It was also alleged that there are several unethical activities are rampant at the temple due to patronage of the administrators. Cash and other valuables donated by the pilgrims which have gone missing were later recovered but due the collusion between Pujaris and administrator no FIR was lodged against the culprits.
