Prayagraj, February 17 The Allahabad High Court has issued contempt notices to the district magistrate and SSP of Bareilly for allegedly preventing certain individuals, including the petitioner, from offering prayers inside a private property belonging to the latter.
A two-judge bench comprising Justices Atul Sreedharan and Siddhartha Nandan passed the order on February 12 in response to a petition filed by Tarik Khan from Bareilly.
The court directed that notices be issued to the two officials – the district magistrate and the senior superintendent of police – under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, for violating the court's order dated January 27, passed in the case of Maranatha Full Gospel Ministries vs State of UP and 2 Others.
The bench posted the matter for March 11 as a new top 10 case.
In the Maranatha case, the court had observed, “Under the circumstances, the present writ petition is disposed of by observing that the petitioner has the right to conduct the prayer as per his convenience at his own private premises without any permission from the state government.
“However, if any occasion arises where it has to spill over the public road or public property, in such a situation, this court mandates that the petitioner shall at least intimate the police and take any requisite permission under the law, if required.”
The counsel for petitioner Tarik Khan, advocate Rajesh Kumar Gautam, told