Reported By: Amruta Pawar

The Madras HC in the matter of Shankar v/s The State granted bail to the four accused who were accused of obstructing temple demolition.

The petitioners had trespassed into a temple property and prevented the revenue officials from removing the illegal encroachment. The petitioners were arrested on a complaint by the assistant commissioner of the Hindu religious & charitable endowment department alleging that the petitioners prevented the officials from removing the illegal encroachments from the buildings of the temple.

However, it was contended by the petitioners that the authorities in the guise of eviction demolished the age-old structure.

It was also contended that the Hindu religious and charitable endowment had demolished a four-year-old structure when its ownership was doubtful. 

The state argued that while removing the encroachment the building collapsed & to verify this the court directed an enquiry where the contention of the state was found unbelievable. AD Jagdish Chandra heard the case & based on the above observations granted bail to the petitioners while refraining from deciding the rival claims as the matter was pending before the other forum.

The court while granting bail ordered the petitioners to execute a bond of 15,000 with two surety each and also directed the parties to appear before the police station of Esplanade every day.