Summary:
Varanasi, May 17 (PTI) A Varanasi court, which had ordered the videography survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid complex, Tuesday removed Advocate Commissioner Ajay Mishra for displaying "irresponsible behaviour towards the discharge of his duties", while it also granted two more days to the commission to file the survey report.
This came on a day the five women petitioners in the original case moved a fresh application through advocate Vishnu Jain, demanding that a temporary wall facing an idol of Nandi in the Kashi Vishwanath temple be removed to create a path to the “Shivling” that the Hindu side claimed was found during the survey of the mosque complex.
District Civil Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar passed the order to remove Mishra on an application moved by Special Advocate Commissioner Vishal Singh who informed the court Mishra had "deployed a personal cameramen RP Singh who was giving wrong byte in the media on a regular basis".
Mishra said he did not at all expect what happened on Tuesday.
"The photographer I had hired, cheated me.
I was cheated by the one I trusted.
What can I do about that?" In its order, the court said when somebody is appointed as an advocate commissioner his position is that of a public servant and it is expected of him that he will discharge his duties with honesty and impartiality, and not issue any irresponsible statement.
"Advocate commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra showed irresponsible behaviour towards the discharge of his duties," it said.
"The private cameraman deployed by Ajay Kumar Mishra, gave bytes to the media regularly, which is against judicial dignity." "Hence, advocate commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra is removed with immediate effect," it said, adding all the work of the commission after May 12 will be submitted by Vishal Singh.
Vishal Singh told PTI, "I had not submitted an application in the court to remove him (Ajay Kumar Mishra), but only to know what responsibility I have to discharge." When told that Vishal Singh has accused him of non-cooperation, Mishra said, "Maybe he must have felt it.
According to me, I have not done any non-cooperation." Mishra also said, "The work of commission was conducted under the direction of Vishal Singh.