Delhi High Court fines individual Rs 1 lakh for involving Lord Hanuman in private property temple dispute, citing behavior as detrimental to legal integrity.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
DELHI: Recently, The Delhi High Court has addressed the misuse of legal processes by imposing a fine of Rs 1 lakh on an individual who incorporated Lord Hanuman into a dispute over a temple located on private property. Characterizing this behavior as highly detrimental and “pernicious,” the court emphasized its negative impact on the integrity of the legal system.
Justice Hari Shankar, while expressing his astonishment, stated-
“I never anticipated having to deal with a case where God would be a litigant before me. Fortunately, it seems to be a situation of divinity represented indirectly.”
The court firmly imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the litigant for his actions. The petitioner, Ankit Mishra, had claimed that the plot of land belonged to Lord Hanuman due to the presence of a public temple, and he himself acted as “his next friend” and a devotee. The temple in question is located in Delhi’s Uttam Nagar area.
ALSO READ: Madras High Court: Draping Cloth on a Stone Doesn’t Constitute a Religious Idol
However, the court dismissed the appeal, highlighting that there was no evidence to support the claim that the temple was a public temple. In order to prevent any argument regarding cost-sharing with Lord Hanuman, the court clarified that the entire fine would be solely payable by the litigant.
The court emphasized-
“The costs would be solely payable by him – with a lowercase ‘h’.”
The court condemned the abuse of the legal process by the appellant, stating that it not only undermined the law but also disrespected the court and its procedures.
The court affirmed-
“There is no room for leniency in such circumstances, and compensatory costs must be awarded. Therefore, appellant Ankit Mishra cannot evade these costs.”
It is worth noting that Ankit Mishra’s application was previously rejected by a city court last year in September. The court ruled that the temple was situated on private land and the fact that it was worshipped by the public did not automatically classify it as a public temple. Furthermore, Mishra was declared ineligible to represent Lord Hanuman as its next friend.
ALSO READ: Bail Granted by Allahabad HC in ‘Lord Ram Abuse Case’
