Remove title 'Shahi' from Jama Masjid's Imam's name: PIL in Delhi HC

The PIL demands the removal of word Shahi from Jama Masjid's Imam's name.

New Delhi: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) demanding the removal of title 'Shahi' from the name of Jama Masjid's Imam Maulana Syed Ahmed Bukhari was filed in Delhi High Court on Thursday.

According to ANI, responding to the PIL, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Delhi Waqf Board and Ministry of Minority Affairs seeking a reply on the issue.

Jama Masjid's Shahi Imam is already facing legal trouble over the anointment of his youngest son as his successor.

The Delhi High Court had earlier ruled that the ceremony (dastarbandi) to anoint Shahi Imam Maulana Syed Ahmed Bukhari’s son as the Naib Imam of Jama Masjid “would not amount to an appointment”.

The order was passed by a bench of justice G Rohini and justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw after taking into account the contentions of the Centre, Delhi Wakf Board and others petitioners, who had challenged the ceremony.

The court also noted that under the Wakf Act, 1995, the law only “provides for a mutawalli (manager) of a wakf and contains no provision for appointment of Imams of Wakf properties, even if a masjid”.

A local court had recently slammed Bukhari for seeking withdrawal of prosecution in an assault case. 

He had been charged with assaulting public servants and causing damage to public property in 2001.

The court said that Bukhari cannot take advantage of being the Shahi Imam. 

Not only did the court refuse to quash the case but also imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 towards Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for wasting the Court’s time. 

Syed Ahmed Bukhari had moved a petition against the court for its May 2016 order rejecting the prosecutor’s order under section 321 of CrPC. 

Bukhari had also said that his Z-plus security would cause problems if he faces trial – this contention too was rejected by the court.