Judge Who Ordered Survey Of Gyanvapi Mosque Complex Complains Of Calls And Death Threats From International Numbers

Previously, on similar threat concerns, the Allahabad High Court had ordered Y-category security for him and his family members. Later, the security was reduced to the X-category.

According to the Times of India Report, in a letter to the Bareilly Senior Superintendent of Police Sushil Chandrabhan Ghule, the judge said that he had received malicious calls from international numbers which were deeply concerning. As per the report, his current security includes two personnel. One of his associates has told ToI that the security is not sufficient the two personnel are not equipped with weapons to combat terrorists, who carry automatic guns and modern weapons.

An Agent of the Popular Front of India was earlier arrested near his residence in Lucknow in 2023, as per the report. A gunman was also deployed near the residence of Judge Diwakar’s brother’s residence for security. Subsequently, it was removed due to Lok Sabha Polls.

In June 2022, the Allahabad High Court had transferred as many as 619 judicial officers, including Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar, who had written to the Uttar Pradesh government after he had received a threat letter through a registered post.

On May 12, 2022, Diwakar had also rejected the plea to change the court-appointed Advocate Commissioner to conduct a video survey of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex and appointed two additional Advocate Commissioners to assist him. He had also ordered that only 20 Muslims should be allowed to go inside the Mosque and do namaz and that "they should be immediately stopped from doing Wuzu".

Last month, The Supreme Court while hearing SLPs against the orders of Allahabad High Court upholding the Varanasi District Court’s Order allowing prayers by Hindu priests in the Southern Cellar of the Gyanvapi Mosque i.e. ‘Vyas Tehkhana’ had passed an order to continue worship at the tehkhana by Hindu Priests. The Court had also directed that the status quo shall not be disturbed by either of the parties without obtaining the previous sanction and leave of the Court.

The Allahabad High Court had held that the State Government's actions since 1993, restraining the Vyas family and devotees from performing religious worship and rituals at the Gyanvyapi temple complex, constituted a continuous wrong.