Plea in SC challenges order appointing receiver for Haridwar temple

New Delhi, Jul 24 (PTI) The "Sevayat" of Maa Chandi Devi Temple in Haridwar has moved the Supreme Court for a stay on the order directing the Badri Kedar Temple Committee to appoint a receiver to oversee the temple's management.

"Sevayat" refers to priests, actively involved in the daily rituals and management of the temples.

Mahant Bhawani Nandan Giri in his plea before the top court contended the Uttarakhand High Court, without any evidence and complaint, delegated the control of the temple to a committee despite the there being a panel consisting of DM and SSP of Haridwar already constituted by the high court in 2012.

In his plea filed, through advocate Ashwani Dubey, the petitioner argued the direction to appoint the receiver was passed while hearing the anticipatory bail plea of an accused in a criminal matter.

Maa Chandi Devi Temple, Haridwar was founded in 8th Century by Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankaracharya and since then the ancestors of the Petitioner have been managing and looking after it as a Sevayat.

The petition is likely to come up for hearing next week.

There is neither a single complaint nor the question of mismanagement or misappropriation has ever been flagged out by the committee consisting of DM and SSP, Haridwar appointed by the High Court, the plea said.

"The high court passed the directions which are arbitrary, illegal, and perverse and outside the pleadings and without any specific relief that too in violation of principle of natural justice as the petitioner was not heard who is the Sevayat/Chief Trustee," the plea said.

The petitioner further said the high court did not issue notice and passed the impugned directions.

"The petitioner is aggrieved by the directions passed in Para Nos. 15 to 18 of the impugned order and henceforth, filing the instant SLP seeking to quash / set aside the impugned directions which is beyond the scope of the bail petition," the plea added.

The petition submitted the high court entrusted the work of the temple to the Badri Kedar Temple Kedar "erroneously" without appreciating that the committee consisting of DM and SSP, Haridwar have been working diligently.

The high court passed the order while hearing an anticipatory bail application filed by one Reena Bisht, claiming to be live-in partner of Rohit Giri, head priest of the temple.

Giri's wife, Geetanjali, lodged an FIR on May 21 against her husband, Reena Bisht and seven others, alleging that Bisht attempted to run over her son with a vehicle on May 14.

On the same day, Giri was arrested by Punjab Police in a separate molestation case and is currently in judicial custody.

The high court observed that Giri was residing with Bisht while his divorce remained pending, and that Bisht gave birth to their child in January.

"Trustees of the temple are creating a noxious atmosphere... and there is complete mismanagement in the trust. It cannot be ruled out that there may be misappropriation of donations," the high court said. PTI PKS PKS AMK AMK