UP govt forms committee to investigate Barabanki mosque controversy

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has set up a three-member committee to probe the demolition of an old structure in Barabanki town, which recently triggered a controversy, with Muslim groups calling it the illegal razing of a 100 year old mosque and the local administration claiming it was residential encroachment on government land.

The structure constructed in the premises of the Ram Sanehi Ghat tehsil, Barabanki was demolished on May 17.

According to officials sources here on Sunday, the committee will also probe into alleged forging of documents to get the structure registered with the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board as a mosque in June 2019. The committee has been asked by the government to submit its report within 15 days.

The sources said the panel will be chaired by Shiva Kant Dwivedi, the special secretary of minority welfare and waqf, and will comprise deputy director of minority welfare (Lucknow) and deputy director of minority welfare (Ayodhya) as its members. UP Sunni central waqf board chairman Zufar Ahmad Faruqi had termed the demolition as illegal and high handedness of the district administration of Barabanki.

The Police in Barabanki on Friday had registered a case of fraud against a former inspector of the UP Sunni Central Waft Board and seven members of the management committee of the demolished mosque. The case against them was registered on the complaint of District Minority Welfare Officer.

The Barabanki administration had on May 17 pulled down the mosque in Ram Sanehi Ghat, saying the construction was illegal and demolished on court orders.

The district minority welfare officer in his complaint alleged the "illegal construction" was declared a Waqf Board property on the basis of fake papers in a span of a few days and eight people were made members of its management committee.

Among those booked are Masjid Committee chairman Mushtaq Ali, Vice-president Vakil Ahmed, secretary Mohammad Anees and members Mohammad Mustakim, Dastgir and Afzal. A former Waqf Board inspector, Mohammad Taha, has also been booked in the case. (UNI)