In response to a civil public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Khush Khandelwal in the Bombay High Court, against an allegedly illegally constructed Dargah in Uttan, the bench of Justice Arif S. Doctor on Wednesday directed the respondents to file their affidavits-in-reply by four weeks.
Founder Of Hindu Task Force Files PIL Alleging Illegal Constructions on Mangrove Belts
Represented by Advocates- Pratik Kothari and Amrut Joshi, the petitioner who is the founder of the Hindu Task Force, had filed the PIL (PILST/6843/2024) on 2, March, 2024 alleging massive illegal constructions on land measuring more than 70,000 square feet by the Bale-Shah Peer Charitable Trust on protected mangrove belts located on government owned land parcels near the sensitive Chowk jetty in Uttan near Bhayandar.
4 Weeks Timeframe To File Affidavits-In-Reply
While hearing the PIL (45/2024), Justice Arif S. Doctor directed the respondents including- state government, district collector, Thane, additional tehsildar, commissioner of police, municipal commissioner and office bearers of the trust to file their affidavits-in-reply stating their positions within a timeframe of four weeks.
Inaction Spurs PIL Filing By Khandelwal
Khandelwal had registered written complaints about the illegalities to the district collector, local civic administration and upper tehsildar against the illegalities in November, 2023. However, no action was taken, thus prompting Khandelwal to file the PIL. Following Khandelwal’s objections, the upper tehsildar had rejected an application filed by the trust seeking regularisation of the shrine and to enter the trust’s name on the 7/12 property extract.
Allegation of Illegal Encroachments, Shrine Denies Claims
Apart from facing allegations of illegal encroachments, the shrine is also under the scanner owing to concerns raised by security agencies following reports about frequent visits of anti-national elements.
However, the trust which has been thwarting allegations of harbouring anti national elements, continued to maintain that the dargah has been in existence for over more than two centuries ever since the saint -Sayyed Bale-Shah Peer visited the place.
