Mangaluru court adjourns Malali mosque case to Feb 17
The petitioner argued that the old building of the Malali Masjid was an ancient temple, and demanded a detailed study
The Third JFMC (Judicial Magistrate of First Class) Court of Mangaluru on Thursday (February 8) adjourned the hearing in the Malali mosque row to February 17.
The case is based on the discovery of a Hindu temple-like architectural design beneath an old mosque on the outskirts of Mangaluru in April 2022. This was discovered during a renovation project at the Juma Masjid in Malali, on the outskirts of Mangaluru.
Hindu activists raised alarm over the Hindu structures buried beneath the mosque, and demanded a full probe. The masjid management committee filed a counter application in the additional civil court.
Subsequently, lawyers representing the Sangh Parivar submitted an appeal seeking a survey of the mosque. But, the legal counsels for the mosque refused to submit their arguments, saying they would do so only after the High Court gives its order on the case pertaining to the mosque being a Wakf property.
The counsel for the mosque requested that the hearing be adjourned, and the court agreed to this request.
Ancient temple?
The petitioner has requested the court to appoint an advocate commissioner and direct experts or officials of the archaeology department to assist them in surveying the mosque. Petitioner Dhananjay and others filed the petition through advocate Chidananda M Kedilaya, and Malalipet Jumma Masjid was made the respondent.
The petitioner argued that the old building of the Malali Masjid was the sanctum sanctorum of a Hindu temple. He requested that a report be given based on the architecture, walls, carvings and historical nature of the place.
Scientific report
The petitioner said a scientific report should be given on the nature of the entire building or any other monuments that may be there.
In 2022, when the mosque was being repaired the building was partially demolished, Hindu organisations stated that the ancient mosque was modelled after the old temple buildings found on the coast.
A case was filed in the Third Additional Civil Court of Mangalore seeking to stop the repair work and conduct a survey of the mosque to know if there was a shrine of Lord Shiva inside the mosque.
The Malali Jumma Masjid Committee told the High Court that Malali Masjid was a property belonging to Waqf Board and the District Court should hear the High Court petition.
