Bharatvarshiya Digamber Jain Tirth … vs Jain Shwetamber Society on 18 August, 2025

0
10

Jharkhand High Court

Bharatvarshiya Digamber Jain Tirth … vs Jain Shwetamber Society on 18 August, 2025

Author: Sujit Narayan Prasad

Bench: Sujit Narayan Prasad

                                             2025:JHHC:24695-DB



 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI
             L.P.A. No.449 of 2024
                       -----
Bharatvarshiya Digamber Jain Tirth Kshetriya Committee
through its President at Madhuban, P.O. & P.S. Pirtand,
District Giridih, through its authorised person Mahendar
Kumar Jain aged about 62 years son of Kailash Chandra
Jain, Resident of 102/Paras Apartment, Kutchery Road,
P.O. G.P.O., P.S. Kotwali, District Ranchi, State Jharkhand.
                                    ...   ...     Appellant
                           Versus
1. Jain Shwetamber Society, a registered religious and
   charitable Trust at Madhuban, P.O. & P.S. Pirtand,
   District Giridih, through its Manager.
2. State of Jharkhand.
3. The Collector, Giridih, P.O. P.S. & District Giridih.
4. Bharatvarshiya Digamber Jain Terapanthi Kothi,
   Madhuban, P.O. & P.S. Pirtand, District Giridih through
   its President.                      ... ...     Respondents
                              -------
CORAM:HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SUJIT NARAYAN PRASAD
             HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN KUMAR RAI
                              -------
For the Appellant        : Mr. Rajesh Kumar, Advocate
                         : Mr. Praveen Kr. Sinha, Advocate
For the Resp. No.1       : Mr. Jitendra Kr. Pasari, Advocate
                         : Mr. Animesh Kr. Pasari, Advocate
For the State            : Mr. Rahul Kamlesh, AC to SC-IV
                                 ------
Order No. 07/Dated 18 August, 2025
                           th



Per Sujit Narayan Prasad, J.

Prayer

1. The instant appeal is under Clause 10 of the Letters

Patent directed against the order dated 07.02.2024 passed

in W.P.(C) No.5523 of 2014 passed by the learned Single

Judge of this Court, whereby and whereunder the learned

writ court has quashed and set aside the order dated

17.07.2014 passed by Respondent No.2 in Misc. Case

No.25 of 2000 and remanded the matter to the Respondent

1
2025:JHHC:24695-DB

No.2 to reopen the proceeding of Misc. Case No.25 of 2000

and to pass an order under Section 10 of the Indian

Treasure Trove Act, 1878 expeditiously in accordance with

law and accordingly disposed of the writ petition.

Factual Matrix

2. The brief facts of the case as per the pleading made

in the writ petition, which are required to be enumerated,

read hereunder as :-

On 01.06.2000, in course of excavation for new

construction in the land adjacent to the main temple in the

Temple Campus (Jain Shwetamber Kothi) of the petitioner,

19 consecrated worshipable Idols of Jain Tirthankar were

unearthed.

3. An information about the recovery of the said idols

was given to the Police Outpost at Madhuban as well as to

the Office of the Collector by the petitioner on the same

day, i.e. 01.06.2000. Incharge of the Police Outpost

prepared an Inventory of the Idols.

4. On 02.06.2000, on the orders of the Respondent

Collector, the Sub-Divisional Officer, Giridih along with

Deputy Superintendent of Police, Giridih visited the

campus of the petitioner and on the orders of the Collector

sealed the unearthed 19 idols in a room of the Dharmshala

and asked President of the petitioner Trust to execute a

security (Jimmanama) in terms of section 4 of the Indian

2
2025:JHHC:24695-DB

Treasure Trove Act, 1878 (hereinafter to be referred to as

the Act, 1878). As per the direction of the Officers, the

President and Secretary of the Society executed security.

5. The Respondent Collector vide letter No. 1550 dated

07.06.2000, requested Director Archeology, Bihar, Patna to

inspect the recovered idols as well as the excavation site

and submit its report so as to take decision with respect to

ownership of the said idols.

6. On 02.07.2000, Director, Archeology along with

other Officers of the Department in presence of

representatives of Shwetambers and Digambers, including

Bharatvarshiya Digamber Jain carried on Tirthkhsetriya

Committee inspected the idol and archeological clearance

work at site.

7. The Director, Archeology vide memo no. 268 dated

11.07.2000 submitted its report to the Respondent,

Collector, inter alia stating therein that all the 19 recovered

idols were buried in the soil by digging a pit about 200-250

years back perhaps due to fear of the then “Mughal

invaders”.

8. The respondent No.3 Bharatvarshiya Digamber Jain

Tirthkhetra Committee on 15.07.2000 filed a petition under

section 7 read with Section 4 of the Act, 1878 before the

Respondent No.2, the Collector, for inter alia declaring idols

as Digamber Jain Idol and delivery of same to Digambers.

3

2025:JHHC:24695-DB

The said petition was numbered as Misc. Case No.

25/2000.

9. The Director, Archeology, prepared another report,

dated 18.07.2000, inter-alia stating therein that similar

Idols have been worshiped in the temples of both

Shwetambers and Digambers sects. It was further

suggested that the idols could be handed over to Digamber

sect.

10. The respondent No.2, without determining value of

the Idols obviously and rightly because Idols are

worshipable, ex-commercium, issued a general notice on

27.07.2000 under Section 5 of the Act, 1878 in Misc. Case

no. 25/2000, a copy of which was also served to the

petitioner.

11. Thereafter, the petitioner on 11.01.2001, filed its

objection, inter alia stating therein that proceedings under

the Act of 1878 are not maintainable and prayed for

rejection of the petition filed by the respondent No.3 on the

ground the (a) idols are worshipable hence valueless and as

such not treasure under Sec. 3 of the Act, (b) mandatory

requirements of the Act has not been followed, (c) idols

having similar inscription and character are installed and

worshiped in temple since centuries, (d) Digambers have no

locus in present proceeding.

4

2025:JHHC:24695-DB

12. The respondent No.3 filed another petition before

the respondent No.2 on 15.03.2001 with a prayer to keep

the recovered idols in safe custody pending adjudication of

the matter whereupon the respondent No.2 vide order dated

19.11.2002 directed the Circle Officer, Pirtand to take the

said idols in custody in presence of both the parties by

keeping them in a properly sealed wooden box and

thereafter to deposit the same in the District Treasury.

13. The Petitioner challenged the said order before the

Commissioner, North Chhotanagpur Division, Hazaribagh

under Sec. 76 of the Practice & Procedure Manual, 1958 by

filing Misc. Revision (R) 126/2002 on 16.12.2002 and the

learned Commissioner after hearing the parties vide order

dated 25.01.2003 set aside the entire proceedings of Misc.

Case No. 25 of 2000 pending before the respondent No.2

holding that the same got vitiated due to non-compliance of

mandatory provision of publishing a general notification in

terms with Section 5 of the Act, 1878 before passing the

order for interim protection of the said idols.

14. The said order of the Commissioner, North

Chhotanagpur Division, Hazaribagh was challenged by the

respondent no. 3 by filing a writ petition being W.P.(C)

No.916 of 2003 on 17.02.2003.

15. Learned Single Judge stayed the order dated

25.01.2003 passed by the Commissioner, North

5
2025:JHHC:24695-DB

Chhotanagpur Division, Hazaribagh during pendency of the

said writ petition. In the meantime, the petitioner and the

Secretary of one of the subsects of Digamber Society i.e. the

respondent no. 4, entered into an agreement on 16.02.2003

and in terms of said agreement, 9 idols were installed in the

temple of Shwetamber Society i.e. the petitioner and 9 idols

were installed in the temple of the respondent no. 4 in

presence of Jain Acharya Shri Sushil Surishwarji, whereas

one idol which was in broken condition was lying in the

temple premises of the petitioner. Thereafter, the

Shwetamber Society filed I.A No. 543 of 2003 for vacating

the stay granted by learned Single Judge, however, the said

interlocutory application was dismissed by learned Single

Judge on 08.04.2003 and subsequently, vide order dated

14.08.2003, the writ petition was referred to learned

Division Bench after noticing the argument of learned

Advocate General, State of Jharkhand that the land had

vested in the State and, therefore, the said treasure

belonged to the State of Jharkhand.

16. The Jain Shwetamber Society through its Manager

also filed a writ petition on 18.09.2003 being W.P.(C) No.

4820 of 2003 for quashing the entire proceeding of Misc.

Case No. 25 of 2000 including the order dated 19.08.2003

passed by the respondent no. 2 and the said writ petition

was also referred to learned Division Bench for being heard

6
2025:JHHC:24695-DB

along with W.P.(C) No. 916 of 2003. Thus, W.P.(C) No. 4820

of 2003 was tagged with W.P.(C) No. 916 of 2003.

17. Finally, learned Division Bench, vide order dated

14.05.2004 passed in “Bharat Varshiya Digambar Jain

Tirth Kshetriya Committee” allowed W.P.(C) No. 916 of 2003

and quashed the order dated 25.01.2003 passed by the

Commissioner, North Chhotanagpur Division, Hazaribagh

by restoring the order dated 19.11.2001 passed by the

respondent no. 2.

18. The Respondent Collector, in terms of direction of

this Hon’ble Court, issued general notice dated 20.07.2004

under the Act of 1878, which was published in the district

gazette as well as in the newspaper and in compliance of

said notice six persons including petitioner filed their

respective claim but the respondent Digamber Committee

had not filed any claim, hence its claim, if any stands

forfeited under Sec. 6 of the Act of 1878.

19. The respondent no. 2 vide order dated 21.09.2004,

decided to proceed for determining the dispute in terms of

Section 7 of the Act of 1878.

20. The Collector, Giridih by order dated 29.12.2009

after hearing the parties, inter-alia declared u/s 9 of the

Treasure Trove Act, declare the treasure- discovered,

nineteen idols, the subject matter of present dispute to be

ownerless.

7

2025:JHHC:24695-DB

21. The order of the Collector declaring Idols Ownerless

was not challenged by filing an appeal as provided under

Sec.9 of the Act, to the best of Petitioner’s knowledge, hence

the order attained finality.

22. It is worth to state here that after order dated

29.12.2009 the case was adjourned on several dates before

the impugned order dated 17.07.2014 was passed and on

all most all the dates Petitioner was represented through

his Advocate, but hearing could not take place in the

matter for one reason or other and unfortunately Advocate

of the petitioner failed to appear on 17.07.2014 and the

impugned order was passed.

23. During the pendency of the case, the Respondent

Collector vide letter no. 1393 dated 26.10.2010 requested

the Secretary, Department of Art, Culture, Sport and

Youth, Jharkhand, in reference to the judgment of this

Hon’ble Court dated 14.05.2004, inter-alia to investigate

and report on following points:

(i) Whether Idols are covered under the provisions of the

Ancient Monument’s Preservation Act, 1904?

(ii) Whether Idols are covered under the provisions of the

Act of 1958 and Bihar Act of 1976?

(iii) Whether it is necessary under the provisions of said

Acts to deliver Idols for conservation and use to the

Competent Authority?

8

2025:JHHC:24695-DB

24. The Director, Directors of Art, Culture, Sport and

Youth, Jharkhand, Ranchi vide his letter No. 212 dated

11.03.2014 replied the said queries as under:

(i) The Act stands repealed.

(ii) Both Acts are applicable on Idols. Sec. 25 and 26

of the Act 4 of 1958 and Sec. 32, 34, 24 and 25 of

the Bihar Act. 1976 are applicable.

(iii) Under-the said Acts, the Idols are required to be

handed over to the Authorized/Competent Officer of

the State Government for ownership, conservation

and use.

25. The respondent Collector vide order dated

17.07.2014 inter alia disposed of the proceedings of Case

No. 25 of 2000 under the Act of 1878 on the basis of the

said report of the Director, without application of mind by a

non-speaking order.

26. Against the aforesaid order, the petitioner

approached this Court by filing writ petition being W.P.(C)

No. 5523 of 2014.

27. After hearing the parties, learned Single Judge has

disposed of the writ petition by quashing and setting aside

the order dated 17.07.2014 passed in Misc. Case No.25 of

2000 and remanded the matter with a direction to reopen

the proceeding of Misc. Case No.25 of 2000 and to pass an

9
2025:JHHC:24695-DB

order under Section 10 of the Act, 1878 expeditiously in

accordance with law.

28. The aforesaid order has been challenged by filing

the instant Letters Patent Appeal.

29. It is evident from the factual aspect that a dispute

arose in between the two Sects, i.e., Digambar, represented

by the appellant herein and the Shwetamber, the

respondent herein, with respect to the 19 idols found on 1st

June, 2000 at Village Maduban, Pirtand, which had been

kept in Jain Shwetamber Kothi and having possession over

the same.

30. The proceeding has been initiated for having the

custodial right of the said idols by way of institution of a

case being Misc. Case No.25 of 2000 in the court of District

Collector, Giridih.

31. An order was passed on 19.11.2002, wherein the

Collector has passed order, taking into consideration the

factum of the dispute of claim of parties, which is to be

decided after their respective evidence and the same since

will take time, therefore, it is for the benefit of both the

parties that idols would be kept under government custody

till the dispute between the parties is finally decided.

32. The Anchal Adhikari, Pirtand has also been directed

to take in custody all the idols in dispute in presence of

both parties and to keep in wooden box properly sealed and

10
2025:JHHC:24695-DB

signed in presence of representative of both the parties. The

parties, if so like, may put their respective seal on the box.

33. The Anchal Adhikari shall keep the sealed box in

district treasury till the dispute between the parties finally

decided.

34. The said order has been challenged by filing a

revision before the Commissioner, North Chota Nagapur

Division, Ranchi being Miscellaneous Revision (R)-126 of

2002, filed under Section 76 of the Practice and Procedure

Manual.

35. The Revisional Authority had decided the issue by

passing final order on 25.01.2003 by quashing the entire

proceeding of Misc. Case No.25 of 2000.

36. The matter finally traveled to this Court under

Article 226 of the Constitution of India in W.P.(C) No.916 of

2003 and W.P.(S) No.4820 of 2003.

37. The Coordinate Bench of this Court has passed

judgment on 14.5.2004. The deliberation has been made on

the issue on fact and law and has issued the following

directions, as would be evident from paragraph 17 of the

said judgment whereby and whereunder the order passed

by the Commissioner dated 25.01.2003 has been quashed

by allowing the writ petition being W.P.(C) No.916 of 2003.

11

2025:JHHC:24695-DB

38. Further, the order dated 09.11.2001 passed by

Collector in Misc. Case No.25 of 2000 had been restored

with the following directions:-

(i) We direct the concerned authorities to consider

whether the statuettes recovered are not objects of

archaeological, historical or artistic interest under

the concerned Acts referred to by us in the earlier

part of this judgment.

(ii) We direct the Collector to get his order dated

19.11.2001 strictly implemented by the Circle

Officer and Anchal Adhikari.

(iii) We direct the Collector to proceed in accordance

with the Act after fulfilling the requirements of the

Act and to take a decision as contemplated by the

Act.

(iv) We direct the Collector and the other superior

officers of the Circle Officer concerned to look into

his conduct in not obeying the order of the Collector

dated 19.11.2001 and making an appropriate

enquiry into his conduct from all angles.

(v) We direct the Collector to expedite the proceedings

and after hearing all concerned, pass a final order

as contemplated by the Act.

39. The Collector, Giridih, in terms of the said order,

has passed an order on 17.07.2014, whereby the

12
2025:JHHC:24695-DB

proceeding initiated under the Act, 1878 has been closed

on the basis of the report dated 11.03.2014 sent by the

Director, Directorate of Art, Culture, Sports, and Youth

Affairs, Government of Jharkhand, Ranchi.

40. The said order dated 17.07.2014 has been

challenged by the respondent herein, namely, Jain

Shwetambar Society.

41. The learned Single Judge vide judgment dated

07.02.2024 passed in W.P.(C) NO. 5523 of 2014 has

disposed of the writ petition by quashing the order dated

17.07.2014 passed by the Collector, Giridih, Respondent

No.2, in Misc. Case No.25 of 2000 remanding the matter

with a direction to reopen the proceeding of Misc. Case

No.25 of 2000 and to pass an order under Section 10 of the

Act, 1878 expeditiously in accordance with law.

42. The said direction has been passed, based upont he

reason, as would be evident from paragraph 42 of the said

judgment wherein it has been referred that the crux of the

direction passed by the Division Bench of this Court

rendered in W.P.(C) No.916 of 2003 with W.P.(C) No.4820 of

2003 was of the adjudication of the issue/dispute for all

times to come but in course of pendency of the said

dispute, 19 idols have been directed to be kept in the safe

custody of the District Treasury to be acted upon by the

Anchal Adhikari of the concerned Anchal.

13

2025:JHHC:24695-DB

43. The learned Single Judge, therefore, has come to

the conclusive finding that when the dispute pertaining to

the custodial right of the 19 idols has been directed to be

decided by the Adjudicator in terms of Section 10 of the

Act, 1878, but closing the proceeding in the midway, based

upon a report, cannot be said to be the justified decision of

the Collector, both as per the power conferred to the

Collector under Section 10 of the Act, 1878 and the

direction passed by the Division Bench of this Court and,

therefore, the order of remand was passed by reopening the

proceeding of Misc. Case No.25 of 2000.

44. The said order is under challenge.

Submission made on behalf of the appellant

45. The ground has been taken by Mr. Rajesh Kumar,

learned counsel appearing for the appellant that the report

since has been submitted by the concerned authority and

based upon the same, if any order has been passed closing

the proceeding the Collector vide order dated 17.07.2014,

the same cannot be said to be unjust and improper but the

learned Single Judge, without taking into consideration the

aforesaid aspect of the matter has quashed the order dated

17.07.2014 by reopening the proceeding of Misc. Case

No.25 of 2000, which cannot be said to be justified and it is

not justified.

14

2025:JHHC:24695-DB

Submission made on behalf of Respondent No.1

46. Per contra, Mr. Jitendra Kumar Pasari, learned

counsel appearing for the Respondent No.1, has submitted

that the learned Single Judge vide judgment impugned has

not passed the fresh direction, rather, it is the reiteration of

the direction already passed by the Division Bench of this

Court dated 14.05.2004 in W.P.(C) No.916 of 2003 with

W.P.(C) No.4820 of 2003 wherein the order has been

passed to adjudicate the issue pertaining to the custodial

right of 19 idols. Therefore, what is being contended on

behalf of the appellant that the order passed by the learned

Single Judge suffers from an error is not having any

foundation, rather, the learned Single Judge has only

remanded the matter to the authority to come to the

conclusion by adjudicating the custodial right as per the

observation and direction passed by the Division Bench of

this Court wherein the mandate of Section 10 of the

Act,1878 has been taken into consideration.

Submission made on behalf of the State

47. Learned counsel appearing for the State, being a

formal party, has submitted that he has nothing to say so

far as the issue on merit is concerned. However, it has been

submitted that the matter is now pending before the

Collector and he being the quasi-judicial functionary, no

direction can be passed by the State Government to

15
2025:JHHC:24695-DB

expedite the hearing, rather, the direction is already there

in the order passed by the Division Bench of this Court.

Analysis

48. We have heard learned counsel for the parties and

gone through the finding recorded by the learned Single

Judge in the impugned judgment.

49. The ground upon which the present appeal has

been preferred is particularly the direction passed by the

learned Single Judge for reopening the proceeding of Misc.

Case No.25 of 2000 which has been initiated to decide the

custodial right of the 19 idols.

50. The learned Single Judge has passed the order to

that effect so that the conclusion be arrived at after taking

evidence on behalf of the parties regarding the custodial

right of the said idols, as per the direction passed by the

Division Bench of this Court in W.P.(C) No.916 of 2003 with

W.P.(C) No.4820 of 2003.

51. There cannot be any dispute and nobody can

dispute it that if a dispute has been raised on behalf of the

parties before the Adjudicator on conferment of power

under the statute, it is the bounden duty of such

Adjudicator, whether it is quasi-judicial functionary or it is

the judicial functionary, to adjudicate the issue by coming

to the logical end.

16

2025:JHHC:24695-DB

52. It is not expected from such Adjudicator to not come

to the logical end and rescind the proceeding only on the

basis of a report or the version of the parties, rather, the

propriety demands that if any report has been produced or

any plea has been taken on behalf of the parties, then there

must be the considered finding to be recorded by the

concerned Adjudicator, meaning thereby, the finding must

be based upon active application of mind and not being

suede by any report or any version of the party concerned,

rather, the evidence or the version or the pleading requires

consideration by active application of mind, to be applied

by the Adjudicator.

53. We have gone through the order dated 19.11.2002

which has been passed by way of ad-interim measure to get

19 idols in custody till the dispute between the parties is

finally decided, meaning thereby, the dispute pertaining to

custody of said idols requires consideration and in that

view of the matter, in the Misc. Case No.25 of 2000 which

has been initiated for the purpose of adjudicating the

custodial right in between the parties by way of ad-interim

measure by passing an order dated 19.11.2002 the custody

of the 19 idols has been taken into consideration with a

direction to the Anchal Adhikari, Pirtand to take in custody

all the idols in dispute in presence of both parties and keep

them in a properly sealed wooden box and thereafter to

17
2025:JHHC:24695-DB

deposit the same in the District Treasury till the dispute is

finally decided. The relevant part of the said order is being

referred hereunder as :-

“Anchal Adhikari, Pirtand is directed to take in custody
all the idols in dispute in presence of both parties and to keep
in wood box properly sealed and signed in presence of
representative of both the parties. Parties may if so like may
put their respective seal over the box. The Anchal Adhikari
shall keep sealed box in Dist. Treasury till the dispute
between the parties is finally decided.”

54. The said order has travelled to appeal and revision.

The revisional authority has quashed the order dated

19.11.2002 and thereby the matter came to this Court and

heard by the Division Bench of this Court in W.P.(C) No.916

of 2003 with W.P.(C) No.4820 of 2003.

55. The Division Bench has passed the order and as

would be evident from paragraph 17 thereof, the following

directions have been passed :-

“17. In the result, we allow WP (C) No.916 of 2003 and quash
the order of the Commissioner dated 25.1.2003 and restore
the order of the Collector dated 19.11.2001. We direct the
concerned authorities to consider whether the statuettes
recovered are not objects of archaeological, historical or
artistic interest under the concerned Acts referred to by us in
the earlier part of this judgment. We direct the Collector to get
his order dated 19.11.2001 strictly implemented by the Circle
Officer and Anchal Adhikari. We direct the Collector to proceed
in accordance with the Act after fulfilling the requirements of
the Act and to take a decision as contemplated by the Act. We
direct the Collector and the other superior officers of the Circle
Officer concerned to look into his conduct in not obeying the
order of the Collector dated 19.11.2001 and making an

18
2025:JHHC:24695-DB

appropriate enquiry into his conduct from all angles. We direct
the Collector to expedite the proceedings and after hearing all
concerned, pass a final order as contemplated by the Act. We
dismiss Writ Petition (S) No.4820 of 2003.”

56. The Collector, Giridih, based upon a report, has

closed the proceeding vide order dated 17.07.2014.

57. We have gone through the said order and found

therefrom that the Collector has given a finding that at

present all the idols are lying with the District Treasury

and, as such, the proceeding be closed.

58. We are very much surprised that this was not the

mandate of the order of the Division Bench of this Court

and power conferred under Section 10 of the Act, 1878,

rather, the Collector has been conferred with the power

under Section 10 of the Act, 1878 as also under the

mandate to adjudicate the issue regarding the right of the

parties for which the Misc. Case No.25 of 2000 has begun

and as ad-interim measure the Anchal Adhikari, Pirtand

was directed to take in custody all the idols in dispute in

presence of both parties and to keep in wood box properly

sealed and signed in presence of representative of both the

parties and to keep the sealed box in District Treasury till

the dispute between the parties is finally decided.

59. The said order has been restored by the Division

Bench of this Court vide judgment dated 14.05.2004 by

issuing direction upon the concerned authority to consider

19
2025:JHHC:24695-DB

whether the statuettes recovered are not objects of

archaeological, historical or artistic interest under the

concerned Acts.

60. This Court, therefore, is of the view that the

Collector was duty bound to adjudicate the custodial right

of the parties.

61. The order passed by the revisional authority when

has been questioned by the respondent herein, then the

learned Single Judge has considered the approach of the

Deputy Commissioner, Giridih to be not just and proper in

not adjudicating the issue and, therefore, the order dated

17.07.2014 quashing the proceeding in connection with

Misc. Case No.25 of 2000, has been quashed and set aside

by restoring the said proceeding in order to decide the said

issue by passing an order under Section 10 of the Act, 1878

expeditiously, in accordance with law.

62. The learned Single Judge, therefore, has taken into

consideration the issue of adjudication of the custodial

right of the 19 idols, subject matter of the lis, and, as such,

while doing so if the proceeding of the Misc. Case No.25 of

2000 which has been closed vide order dated 17.07.2014, if

has been reopened by order of remand, which according to

our considered view, cannot be said to suffer from an error,

reason being that if any interference will be there in the

judgment passed by the learned Single Judge then the

20
2025:JHHC:24695-DB

question would be that how the custodial right of the party

would be considered and decided.

63. The mandate of Section 10 of the Act, 1878 and the

judgment passed by the Division Bench of this Court is to

decide the issue by giving a specific finding on the custodial

right with respect to 19 idols, the lis in question, which has

not been taken into consideration, rather, on the basis of a

report in which the custody of the idols has been shown to

be there in the District Treasury, entire proceeding has

been closed.

64. It has been submitted, at Bar, on behalf of the

parties, that the proceeding before the Collector in

connection with Misc. Case No.25 of 2000 (now

renumbered as Misc. Case No.25 of 2025) is at advance

stage. It has also been informed that both the parties are

contesting therein.

65. In that view of the matter also, we are of the view

that no interference is to be shown in the impugned

judgment.

66. Accordingly, the instant appeal fails and is

dismissed.

67. At this juncture, Mr. Rajesh Kumar, learned

counsel appearing for the appellant, has submitted that the

talks of compromise is going on.

21

2025:JHHC:24695-DB

68. Mr. Jitendra Kumar Pasari, learned counsel

appearing for the Respondent No.1, has submitted that he

is having no positive instruction on the issue of

compromise.

69. Be that as it may, if the parties have entered into

any compromise, the parties are at liberty to place it before

the Adjudicator for its consideration.

70. Accordingly, the instant appeal stands disposed of.

71. Pending interlocutory application, if any, also

stands disposed of.

(Sujit Narayan Prasad, J.)

(Arun Kumar Rai, J.)

A.F.R.
Birendra/

22

[ad_1]

Source link

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here