Registrar General Dharminder Singh strongly denied the claims, calling them “misleading and entirely false.”
Madhya Pradesh: The Madhya Pradesh High Court has strongly denied the claim that Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait ordered the demolition of a Hanuman Temple located within the compound of his official residence.
This allegation was initially raised by a lawyer, Ravindra Nath Tripathi, who wrote letters to the President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, and Union Law Minister, demanding action against Justice Kait.
In response, Registrar General Dharmindra Singh issued a press statement categorically rejecting the allegations.
He stated, “These reports are entirely false, misleading, and baseless. I wish to categorically clarify and refute these claims.”
The controversy began when Tripathi’s letter mentioned that the temple had been a part of the compound for a long time, even when the bungalow was occupied by a Muslim Chief Justice. According to Tripathi, it was only under Justice Kait that the temple was demolished.
Subsequently, the Madhya Pradesh High Court Bar Association also joined the discussion. The association wrote to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, urging him to conduct an inquiry into the matter and take action against those responsible for the demolition.
The Bar Association argued that the temple had historical significance, with many former Chief Justices of the High Court, including Justices SA Bobde, AM Khanwilkar, and Hemant Gupta—who were later elevated to the Supreme Court—visiting the temple to offer their respects. The letter further claimed that the employees working at the residence also performed puja at the temple.
The Bar Association expressed that such an act would not have taken place without government permission or a formal statutory order.
They also said, “Such an act is an insult to the believers of sanatana dharma.”
However, the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s administration has now refuted all of these claims. The Registrar General’s press note clarified that the Public Works Department (PWD) had thoroughly investigated the issue and confirmed that no temple had ever been present at the Chief Justice’s residence.
The press statement emphasized, “The allegations being circulated in some sections of the media are fabricated and appear to be a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and malign the integrity of the judicial system.”
It further stressed that the reports about the demolition of the temple were completely false.
The Registrar General also appealed to the media and the public to refrain from spreading such defamatory and unverified information, stating, “These demolition of mandir reports are entirely untrue.”
The press note also pointed out that publishing such baseless news could be considered an interference in the administration of justice and may even be regarded as contemptuous.
The statement concluded by warning that false narratives about the judiciary undermine the rule of law and pose a serious threat to judicial independence.
“Attempts to create false narratives about the judiciary not only undermine the rule of law but also pose a serious threat to the sanctity of judicial independence,” it said.
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