Plea unheard by Bombay HC, SC stays notice after dargah razed

NEW DELHI/NASHIK: Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered a stay on Nashik Municipal Corporation 's April 1 demolition notice to the Hazrat Saatpeer Sayed Baba dargah in Nashik city, but the structure was razed by a civic squad hours before the court hearing amid violence by a mob that left 21 policemen injured.

Any plea against demolition is usually given urgent hearing as delay could cause irreversible damage. However, Bombay HC did not list one such plea against demolition of the dargah after a petition was filed on April 7, according to the senior lawyer representing the dargah.

The apex court has sought a report from the HC's registrar general after the lawyer submitted that the petitioner had been waiting since April 8 but the "high court has declined to list the matter ever since".

The civic body's action against the dargah at Kathe Galli in Nashik was carried out between Tuesday midnight and 6am Wednesday.

The dargah's SLP against the HC's denial of listing of the matter came up before the SC later on Wednesday, but there was no mention of the dargah having already been demolished.