Varanasi court asks ASI to preserve, document evidence found during Gyanvapi survey

A Varanasi court has directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which is conducting a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque, to submit to the district magistrate of Varanasi for its safekeeping any such object found during the survey that is of relevance to the matter or related to Hindu rituals.

The order by Ajay Krishna Vishwesh, district judge of Varanasi, came in response to two related applications filed by one of the five female Hindu petitioners in the case –– Rakhi Singh –– who had sought preservation of all such Hindu signs, symbols and objects found during the commission survey last year and the ongoing ASI survey alleging that they were being harmed by the mosque committee members and that destruction of such “evidence” could impact the disposal of the case.

The judge said he found it appropriate that the ASI submit either to the DM of Varanasi or to a person authorised by him for their safekeeping, all such objects relevant to the case which are related to Hindu rites and rituals or considered crucial to the case from an archaeological or historic point of view, and produce them in court whenever summoned by it.


The ASI has also been asked to prepare a list of all such objects and submit a copy of it to the court and another to the DM. While the petitioners had sought preservation of claimed Hindu “signs” and “symbols” like the Trishul, Swastik and Lotus signs purpotedly found at the disputed site, for which it requested the court to direct “sealing” of certain portions of the mosque premises, the order only mentions preservation of “objects” by way of their submission to the DM. The mosque committee said it will not challenge the order.

The ASI was last week granted an extension of four weeks to complete its survey at the mosque premises. It had however asked for an eight-week extension.