Delhi HC fines man Rs 1 lakh for naming Lord Hanuman as co-litigant in plea

'I never thought that God would, one day, be a litigant before me. This appears, however, thankfully, to be a case of divinity by proxy,' the court observed

The Delhi High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on a man who listed Lord Hanuman as a co-litigant in his plea involving a temple constructed on private land.

"I never thought that God would, one day, be a litigant before me. This appears, however, thankfully, to be a case of divinity by proxy," Justice C Hari Shankar stated in the 51-page judgment issued on Monday.

What is the case?

The court dismissed the petition filed by 31-year-old Ankit Mishra, who challenged a lower court's ruling confirming that the temple was situated on private land owned by Suraj Malik. Mishra's plea argued that the land had become a "public temple," thereby nullifying Malik's ownership rights due to public worship there.

However, the court maintained that allowing occasional public access to the temple did not alter its private nature. The lower court's decision remained intact, affirming that the presence of a temple did not undermine the landowner's rights.

What did the court say?

Justice Shankar highlighted the severe implications of Mishra's petition, calling it "rank collusion with an intent to grab" the property.

He further emphasised that public worship at a privately owned temple does not transform it into a public temple, cautioning that such a misinterpretation could result in dire legal and social consequences.

"As has happened in the present case, a person could grab the property of another, squat thereon, construct a temple on the property, allow the public to occasionally worship there, and obstruct, permanently, the restoration of the property to its rightful owner. Allowing such a pernicious practice would be driving the last nail in the coffin of justice," he added.

(With PTI inputs)