Highlights
- Advocate Yadav was taken to a hospital after he complaint of health issues
- He was declared dead at the hospital, senior advocate Nityanand Rai said
- The hearing in the case was earlier adjourned till August 3
Gyanvapi Masjid case: Senior advocate Abhay Nath Yadav, who was representing the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee in the Gyanvapi case, died of a heart attack late on Sunday.
According to the details, advocate Yadav was taken to a hospital after he complained of health issues.
He was declared dead at the hospital, senior advocate of Banaras Bar Association, Nityanand Rai said.
Earlier, Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar - who had ordered the video survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi had received a hand-written threat letter.
In a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Director General of Police (DGP) and the Varanasi Police Commissionerate, Diwakar said he received the letter, purportedly written by Kashif Ahmed Siddiqui on behalf of the Islamic Aagaz Movement, via registered post.
Varanasi Police Commissioner A Satish Ganesh confirmed the receipt of the letter by the judge.
A total of nine police personnel were deployed for the security of the judge.
Gyanvapi Masjid case: Hearing on maintainability of 1991 suit adjourned till Aug 3
On July 26, the Allahabad High Court adjourned the hearing till August 3 in a case filed by the Anjuman Intazamia Masjid Committee challenging the maintainability of a 1991 suit seeking the right to worship by Hindu petitioners.
The suit was filed seeking the restoration of the ancient temple at the site where the Gyanvapi mosque currently stands. The petitioners claimed in the suit that the mosque is a part of the temple.
The counsel appearing on behalf of the Gyanvapi mosque, SFA Naqvi, argued the suit is barred by law under the provisions of section 4 of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991.
Naqvi submitted this provision bars filing of suit or any other legal proceedings for altering the religious character of any place of worship that existed on August 15, 1947.
Hence, no claim can be made regarding a religious place that existed on August 15, 1947, he said.
According to the Act of 1991, no relief can be sought for changing the status of any religious place as it existed on August 15, 1947, contended the petitioner's counsel.
Naqvi further contended that if an application raising an objection about the maintainability of any suit has been filed at any stage, the same must be decided first by the lower court and thereafter the suit be proceeded with.
After hearing bother the parties, Justice Prakash Padia adjourned till August 3 the hearing in the case filed by the Anjuman Intazamia Masjid Committee challenging the maintainability of the original suit filed in 1991 in the Varanasi district court.
(With inputs from agencies)
