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‘This is Nuts’: Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) co-lead Vivek Ramaswamy on New York’s $220-million deal with Pakistan-owned hotel

OpIndia Staff
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‘This is Nuts’: Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) co-lead Vivek Ramaswamy on New York’s $220-million deal with Pakistan-owned hotel

Following his return to the White House, US President-Elect Donald Trump has constituted a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This department will be headed by the official richest man in the world Elon Musk and Indian-American Vivek Ramaswamy.

The main task of this department will be to cut down on government spending and make the entire government more efficient.

Meanwhile, it has come to light that United States is paying money to Pakistan for a prime hotel in New York City that is being used to house illegals in the country. Vivek Ramaswamy has come out strongly against this payment of hundreds of millions to Pakistan.

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Author John LeFevre wrote, “The city of New York pays $220 million to rent the entire Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan to house illegal migrants. The hotel is owned by the government of Pakistan, and the deal was part of a $1.1 billion IMF bailout package to help Pakistan avoid defaulting on their international debt.”

Highlighting the bizarre nature of the deal, LeFevre wrote, “Prior to this sweetheart deal, the hotel had been closed since 2020, having long-struggled with occupancy and in dire need of renovation.”

Responding to the post, Vivek Ramaswamy expressed his dismay at such a strange deal, and said, “A taxpayer-funded hotel for illegal migrants is owned by the Pakistani government which means NYC taxpayers are effectively paying a foreign government to house illegals in our own country.”

Vivek Ramaswamy further added, “This is nuts.”

Roosevelt Hotel, named after the former US President Theodore Roosevelt is a sprawling 19-storey New York City hotel in a prime location in the New York City.

Jamia Millia Islamia issues warning to students: No protests, dharna against any constitutional dignitary

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Jamia Millia Islamia issues warning to students: No protests, dharna against any constitutional dignitary

Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has warned students against raising slogans or organizing protests without prior permission from university authorities, saying “disciplinary” action would be taken against “erring” students.

In an office memorandum dated November 29, the university reminded students that protests, especially those targeting constitutional dignitaries or law enforcement agencies, are not permitted without formal consent.

This order came in response to the protest by students during which slogans were raised against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The university emphasized that any such activities are not aligned with its academic environment and must be avoided.

“It is once again reiterated for the information of all students of the University that no protests, dharnas, raising slogans against any constitutional dignitaries shall be allowed in any part of the University Campus, otherwise disciplinary action against such erring students shall be initiated as per provision of the University rules,” the memorandum said.

In response, the All India Students’ Association (AISA) has strongly condemned the move, accusing the university administration of succumbing to political pressure from the ruling regime.

“This directive is not merely an attack on students–it is an attack on the very essence of a university,” AISA said in a statement. The student body further alleged that the administration has become a “mouthpiece for the BJP-RSS agenda” and called on progressive forces to resist what it termed the “Sangh’s authoritarian grip” on the institution.

In the notice, the administration referenced a previous office order issued in August 2022, which outlined similar restrictions on student protests. “It is once again reiterated that no protests, dharnas, or slogans against any constitutional dignitaries shall be allowed in any part of the University Campus,” the notice read.

The university also warned of disciplinary action against students violating these guidelines, in accordance with, university rules. Faculty members and department heads have been instructed to communicate the directive to students under their purview.

Meanwhile, AISA called on students and democratic forces to unite against the order, pledging to reclaim the university’s autonomy and preserve its tradition of resistance.

“This is part of the Sangh’s larger agenda to strip universities of their autonomy and transform them into factories of conformity,” AISA said.

The group emphasized Jamia’s legacy of standing up to oppression, from its founding during the anti-colonial struggle to its role in opposing the CAA-NRC. “We will not let this legacy be hijacked by the Sangh’s foot soldiers in the administration,” AISA added. 

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar says Indian history has been manipulated to ignore real heroes and create a monopoly of few, calls for changes in historical narratives

OpIndia Staff
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Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar says Indian history has been manipulated to ignore real heroes and create a monopoly of few, calls for changes in historical narratives

In a significant comment, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday talked about the distortion of history books in India, and condemned the “manipulated” and “selective” historical narratives in the textbooks. Addressing the 138th birth anniversary celebration of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Dhankhar said that India’s history has been manipulated and doctored to create a monopoly of few that claims they gained independence of India from British.

The vice president also said that people have been “taught very differently” about the foundations of India’s independence. He said, “Our history books have done injustice to our heroes. Our history has been manipulated and doctored, creating a monopoly of a few who are credited with gaining us independence. It is an unbearable pain on our conscience. It is a burden on our soul and heart”.

Dhankhar called for significant changes in historical narratives about India, adding that the commemoration of the first Bharat Sarkar established in in 1915 is a fitting occasion to discuss these issues. The vice president said that our history books have failed to recognise the heroic feats of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, calling him a natural diplomat, statesman, visionary, and nationalist.

He called this neglect a “travesty of justice” and highlighted the importance of rectifying historical misrepresentation to give due credit to those who laid the foundations of India’s independence.

He said, “a travesty of justice, what a tragedy. In the 75th year of our independence, we have failed-miserably failed-to acknowledge the heroic feats of great men like Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh. Our history has not given him the place he deserves. The foundations of our independence, built on the supreme sacrifices of people like him and other unsung or lesser-sung heroes, have been misrepresented.”

Jagdeep Dhankhar added, “Foundations of our independence are built upon supreme sacrifices of the people like Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh and other unsung heroes or not so well-sung heroes.” He expressed concern over the tendency of ignoring such nationalist heroes while writing history books, and said that we cannot allow our heroes to be downsized. Dhankhar further said, “We cannot nurture our history by indulgently crediting a few while marginalising others who played pivotal roles. It is imperative to present unvarnished historical accounts to inspire patriotic fervour in this generation and those to come.”

Kerala High Court quashes defamation case against Organiser and Panchjanya publisher filed by PFI, rules banned entities cannot claim defamation

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala High Court quashes defamation case against Organiser and Panchjanya publisher filed by PFI, rules banned entities cannot claim defamation

On 26th November, the Kerala High Court quashed criminal defamation proceedings against the media house Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited, which was accused of defaming the banned terrorist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI). Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan stated in the judgment that, as PFI is a banned organisation under Indian law, it cannot file defamation complaints as it lacks legal entity status. The judgment holds importance as it strips banned entities of legal standing to claim reputational harm in the country.

Bharat Prakashan, founded by Pd. Deendayal Upadhyayis the publisher of magazines Organiser and Panchjanya. PFI had filed the defamation case over an article published in Organiser Weekly in September 2017, when the Islamist was not banned.

Legal rationale for quashing the case

The court emphasised that, though PFI technically falls under the definition of a “person” in Section 499 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), it cannot invoke this section due to its banned status. The court observed: “When ‘the Popular Front of India’ itself is banned in India by the Central Government, such a banned association will not come within the purview of Section 499 of the Indian Penal Code, because a banned association has no legal entity.”

The judgment referred to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ notification (S.O. 4559(E)) dated 27th September 2022, which declared PFI and its affiliates unlawful associations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The Court further stated: “It cannot be said that there is defamation to a banned association because of certain publications by the petitioners.”

Allegations and complaint

The defamation case was filed by the general secretary of PFI, who claimed that Bharat Prakashan published an article linking the organisation to the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). The article in question accused PFI of being involved in activities such as “Love Jihad,” recruitment of terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, and the Bangalore serial blasts. The general secretary of PFI alleged that these accusations were defamatory in nature, leading to criminal proceedings under Sections 499 and 500 of the IPC.

The report titled “Popular Front of India’ (PFI) titled – The Usual Suspect” published on 17 September 2017, had said that PFI is just a new avatar of banned SIMI. The article had pointed out various activities including involvement in love jihad cases to prove the allegation.

In response, PFI had filed a defamation case against Organiser publisher Bharat Prakashan, its MD Alok Kumar, Director and Publisher Bihari Lal Singh, Organiser Editor Prafulla Kethar, sub-editors Ganesh Kumar T and Nishant Kumar Azad. However, as PFI is a banned group now, the court dismissed the defamation case, ruling that banned entities can’t file defamation cases. The court also found no fault in the Organiser article, and noted that the union govt used similar arguments to ban PFI.

Court’s dismissal and further observations

Justice Kunhikrishnan noted that the allegations mentioned in the article were not only publicly available but also formed the basis of the government of India’s decision to ban PFI in 2022. The court said: “These are only some of the allegations against the Popular Front of India which were available in the public domain at that stage. Subsequently, the Popular Front of India itself was banned by the Central Government for the reasons mentioned in the order of banning.”

The court concluded that the complaint filed by the general secretary could not stand and quashed all further proceedings against the petitioners, including editors and reporters of Bharat Prakashan.

Significance of the ruling

Notably, the decision of the Kerala High Court not only provided significant relief to the media house but also set a precedent limiting the legal recourse available to banned organisations in India. It reinforced that entities declared unlawful cannot claim reputational harm. The court drew a clear boundary around the rights of such organisations, specifically in terms of defamation law. The judgment also underscored the importance of a free press in reporting allegations and matters of public concern.

Banned terror outfit Popular Front of India

In September 2022, the Government of India banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) and all the individuals associated with it for 5 years. There were credible reports that they were allegedly involved in rioting that happened in various parts of the country, particularly at Hindu festival Hanuman Jayanti and others. The Delhi Police in its charge sheet had also claimed to have found PFI’s link in the Delhi riots in 2020.  

Further, this organisation and its office bearers are accused of hatching a conspiracy to make India an Islamic country by the year 2047, including taking funding and other support from abroad. Additionally, it was also alleged that many members of PFI were said to be influenced by the ideology of ISIS.

Telangana: Police neutralises seven Maoists in Eturnagaram forest encounter

OpIndia Staff
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Telangana: Police neutralises seven Maoists in Eturnagaram forest encounter

On the morning of 1st December, security forces neutralised seven Maoists in an encounter in the Mulugu district of Telangana. The development came a week after two tribal men were killed by Maoists on suspicion of being police informers in the area.

The encounter started at around 5:30 in the morning. The operation was conducted by the elite anti-Maoist Greyhounds forces, which spotted the Maoists in the Chalpakka forest and ordered them to surrender. However, the Maoists did not surrender and instead opened fire on the security forces, resulting in retaliation by the elite forces.

According to Mulugu Superintendent of Police (SP) Shabarish, the encounter took place in the Eturnagaram forest area. He said, “Seven Maoists died in a police encounter in the Eturnagaram forest area.”

Media reports suggested that search operations were conducted in the area following the encounter.

Seven insurgents were killed in the encounter, with 35-year-old Bhadru alias Kursam Mangu alias Papanna being the notable one. He was the Yellandu-Narsampet area committee commander of the CPI (Maoist) and a member of its Telangana State Committee. Other Maoists killed in the encounter were identified as 43-year-old Egolapu Mallaiah, 22-year-old Mussaki Deval, 23-year-old Mussaki Jamuna, 25-year-old Jai Singh, 22-year-old Kishore, and 23-year-old Kamesh. According to the police, Bhadru was their leader.

The security forces recovered AK-47, G3, and INSAS rifles, besides other weapons and explosives, from the Maoists.

First major encounter in recent years

The encounter that took place on 1st December is the first major one in the area in recent years. Notably, the Maoists have been attempting to reorganise in the Mulugu district of Telangana and revive their activities. On 21st November, two tribal men were reportedly killed by Maoists in the district over suspicion of being police informers. The deceased were identified as Uika Ramesh and Uika Arjun.

As per media reports, Ramesh was working as the secretary of Peruru Gram Panchayat. A note was recovered from their bodies claiming that they were working to gather information and pass it to the state authorities. It is unclear if the killed Maoists were behind the murder of the duo or not.

Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde confirms his full, unconditional support to BJP candidate for Maharashtra CM

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Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde confirms his full, unconditional support to BJP candidate for Maharashtra CM

Caretaker Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde reiterated his full, unconditional support to the chief ministerial candidate in Maharashtra, stating that the people have delivered a historic mandate in favour of the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance.

Shinde mentioned that he had retreated to his native village in Satara district to take a break following a hectic election schedule. He also confirmed that he had recovered from a fever and was in good health.

Speaking to reporters in Satara, Shinde said, “I am feeling better now. I came here to rest after the busy election schedule. I didn’t take any leave during my 2.5 years as Chief Minister. People are still visiting me here. This government will listen to the people. I have already given my unconditional support to the party leadership, and I will stand by their decision.”

Shinde, who travelled to his native village on Friday evening, also highlighted the unity among Mahayuti leaders, stating, “Our government’s work over the past 2.5 years will be remembered in history. This is why the people gave us a historic mandate and denied the opposition even the chance to elect a Leader of the Opposition. All three allies of the Mahayuti have a good understanding. The Chief Minister candidate will be decided tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Ajit Pawar had earlier clarified that the Chief Minister would be from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with the other two coalition partners holding Deputy Chief Ministerial positions.

“During the meeting in Delhi, it was decided that the Mahayuti would form the government with the Chief Minister from BJP, while the remaining two parties would have Deputy Chief Ministers,” Pawar said.

Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis–widely considered the frontrunner for Chief Minister–Ajit Pawar, and other Mahayuti leaders met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda in Delhi on Thursday evening to discuss the deadlock over the Chief Ministerial position.

The Maharashtra Assembly election results, declared on November 23, saw the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance achieve a landslide victory, but the alliance has yet to finalise its Chief Ministerial candidate.

The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats in the 280-member Maharashtra Assembly, while its allies–the Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, and the NCP, led by Ajit Pawar–won 57 and 41 seats, respectively.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Sambhal violence: Judicial commission formed by CM Yogi invespects Jama Masjid, to decide the further course of action

OpIndia Staff
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Sambhal violence: Judicial commission formed by CM Yogi invespects Jama Masjid, to decide the further course of action

On 1st December, a judicial commission tasked with investigating the violence in Sambhal visited the violence-affected areas. The three-member panel was led by retired Justice Devendra Kumar Arora of the Allahabad High Court and included IAS Amit Mohan Prasad and IAS Arvind Kumar Jain. The commission toured the area and conducted an inspection inside the Jama Masjid, which was the centre of the violence on 24th November.

The judicial commission was formed on the orders of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to investigate the incident and recommend measures to prevent similar occurrences. Following the site visit, the commission is expected to issue notices for public testimonies to build a comprehensive report.

Heavy police presence was deployed for the security of the panel. The police personnel formed a protective cordon around the commission members as they moved across the violence-hit area. Moradabad Commissioner Anjaneya Kumar Singh and DIG Muniraj G accompanied the team during the inspection. District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya and Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishna Kumar Bishnoi were tasked with briefing the panel on the sequence of events that took place on the day of the violence, including the circumstances that led to the unrest.

High-stakes probe into Sambhal violence origins

The judicial commission has been tasked with determining whether the violence in Sambhal was premeditated or occurred spontaneously. The panel will also examine the adequacy of police security measures and identify the root cause of the violence. Speaking to the media, Commissioner Anjaneya Kumar Singh stated, “The judicial committee will decide the course of action. Our role is to assist them and ensure their security. Arrangements will align with their requirements as the investigation unfolds.”

Notably, the commission’s inquiry followed the Sambhal District Court’s order for a survey of the Jama Masjid, led by an advocate commissioner. The court-ordered survey stemmed from a petition filed by Hari Shankar Jain and other petitioners, stating that the mosque was built after destroying the Hari Har Mandir in the 1500s. An initial survey was conducted on the court’s orders on 19th November, and a second survey was carried out on 24th November. Thousands of Islamists gathered outside the mosque, chanted religious slogans, and engaged in violence. They pelted stones at the police, set government and private vehicles ablaze, and opened fire on police personnel. Four mobsters were killed in friendly fire. The Supreme Court has stayed the trial court proceedings till further notice. Furthermore, the Advocate Commissioner’s report will remain sealed until ordered otherwise.

Political uproar and judicial response

Following the violence on 24th November, there was an uproar among opposition parties and leaders. Both Congress and the Samajwadi Party accused the BJP administration of mishandling the situation. The violence also led to heated arguments in Parliament.

Uttar Pradesh: Maulana and minor brother arrested for attempted rape of a 13-year-old girl at Sambhal mosque

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Maulana and minor brother arrested for attempted rape of a 13-year-old girl at Sambhal mosque

On 30th November, Sambhal police arrested a Maulana and his minor brother for holding a minor girl hostage and attempting to rape her at a mosque. The incident took place on 29th November 2024. An FIR has been registered based on a complaint filed by the victim’s mother at the Gunnaur Police Station in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh.

According to media reports, the incident occurred at a mosque named Dhaalan Wali. The Maulana of the mosque provides religious education to local children. On Friday, one of the students went to the mosque for his regular lessons. At around 7 PM, his 13-year-old sister reached the mosque to meet him. It is alleged that during this time, the Maulana’s minor brother grabbed the girl.

When the victim attempted to escape, she was locked in a room where obscene acts were committed against her. As her family began searching for her, they heard her screams coming from within the mosque. The family, along with others, rushed to the room from where the noises were coming. When they opened the door, they found the Maulana’s minor brother in objectionable circumstances with the victim.

The terrified girl told her family that an attempt to rape her had also been made. Following this, the victim’s mother filed a complaint at the police station, alleging that the Maulana was complicit in the crime along with his minor brother.

A case has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. Both the Maulana and his brother have been taken into custody. Further investigation into the matter is underway.

Fraudster connected to Congress makes wild claims about hacking EVMs, party supporters share his claims as ‘proof of tampering in Maharashtra elections

Dibakar Dutta
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Fraudster connected to Congress makes wild claims about hacking EVMs, party supporters share his claims as ‘proof of tampering in Maharashtra elections

Days after the Maha Vikas Aghadi took a severe drubbing in the Maharashtra elections, the Congress ecosystem has left no stone unturned to falsely accuse the BJP-led-Mahayuti of tampering the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

As part of their latest strategy, Congress-friendly activists, ‘journalists’ and YouTubers are sharing the video of a man who is seen making wild claims about fixing EVMs.

In the video, a ‘fraudster’ identified as Syed Shuja is heard saying that he could manipulate election results in 281 out of 288 seats in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections.

Shuja alleged that he could control Electronic Voting Machines through ‘frequency isolation’ despite the fact that EVMs cannot communicate wirelessly.

He also claimed to pre-program EVMs to favour one political party and control the voting machines through ‘specific apps’ for a price of ₹52-53 crores.

The video, which is now being shared by the Congress ecosystem as ’empirical evidence’ of EVM tampering in Maharashtra elections, was originally shared by ‘Mumbai Tak’ from their X handle on 15th November this year.

The India Today group had conducted a sting operation wherein journalists posing as political leader approached Syed Shuja to learn how to ‘manipulate EVMs.’

Despite mouthing platitudes during the interaction, he could not provide any proof of controlling EVMs externally.

Syed Shuja is no ordinary fraudster. He claims to be a ‘cyber expert’ who worked with the Electronic Corporation of India Limited between 2009 and 2014 on the development of EVMs.

The lie was debunked by the Election Commission in 2019.

In fact, the nodal election body had even directed the Delhi Police to lodge a case against him for peddling conspiracy theories and undermining the trust of the Indian electorate on the voting machines.

Syed Shuja claims to have a PHD in Mathematics and a BTech degree in Computer science despite no such records of his educational background.

He first rose to prominence in January 2019 after claiming that the 2014 elections were ‘rigged’. He addressed a press conference in London via Skype and alleged that the EVMs were susceptible to hacking.

The fraudster made a series of outlandish claims about ‘rigged elections’ in India. Interestingly, the event was attended by the then Congress leader Kapil Sibal.

Syed Shuja had then suggested that the elections in which BJP won were rigged while those won by the Congress were fair.

As expected, he resorted to evasive answers and paranoia when protruding questions were asked of him to corroborate his claims.

Syed Shuja was seen alongside Kapil Sibal and Sam Pitroda in one picture and is said to have strong connections within the Congress party.

UP: 3-member judicial panel inspects Shahi Jama Masjid in violence-hit Sambhal amid tight security

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UP: 3-member judicial panel inspects Shahi Jama Masjid in violence-hit Sambhal amid tight security

Amid massive security, three-member judicial committee conducted inspection near the Shahi Masjid area in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal on Sunday where stone-pelting incident took place on November 24.

The committee members visited the areas and spoke to the residents as well as officials regarding the incident. The panel was accompanied by security personnel as they visited the violence-hit area.

Earlier Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said that the committee will visit the place to collect evidence today and all arrangements to ensure smooth probe process has been made.

“The probe committee will do their job, they will decide what to do, we just need to assist them, wherever they go and collect the evidence,” Singh said.

The commissioner said that the situation in Sambhal is currently peaceful and the authorities are constantly monitoring the same.

“The situation in Sambhal is absolutely peaceful, there is no problem there right now, constant monitoring is being done. Vigilance is maintained so as to ensure peace and order,” he said.

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday held a flag march in the area.

“We have strengthened the security and forces have been deployed. We are committed to organising all the events safely. There is no sign of violence and the police force is deployed at every crucial point. Namaz will be offered tomorrow (at Shahi Jama Masjid),” Sambhal ASP Shrishchand said.

Tensions in Sambhal have been high since November 19, when a local court ordered a survey of the mosque. Clashes between protestors and police over the court-ordered survey of the Jama Masjid resulted in four deaths. The survey was initiated following a petition claiming the mosque site was originally a Harihar temple.

A stone-pelting incident occurred on November 24 during the ASI’s examination of the Mughal-era mosque, resulting in the deaths of four individuals and injuries to several others, including officials and locals.

So far, 27 individuals, including 25 men and two women, have been arrested, and seven FIRs have been registered in connection with the violence, according to police.

On November 29, the Supreme Court asked Uttar Pradesh to ensure “harmony and peace” in Sambhal and directed the trial court there not to proceed in the suit against the Jama Masjid till the petition filed by the Masjid Committee against the survey order is listed in the High Court.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar directed that the report of the advocate commissioner, who conducted the survey of the mosque, should be kept in a sealed cover and should not be opened in the meantime.

The top court was hearing the plea of the Committee of Management of Jama Masjid in Sambhal against the November 19 order of the local court for the survey of the mosque.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

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