Prayagraj: The Allahabad high court has stayed proceedings in a criminal case against some of the accused in the Sambhal violence linked to the court-ordered survey of Shahi Jama Masjid.The case stems from violence that erupted on Nov 24, 2024, during the survey. An FIR was lodged the same day at Kotwali police station by a police sub-inspector against several individuals on charges of rioting and incitement.Hearing a petition filed by Subhan and 21 others, Justice Vani Ranjan Agrawal directed the state government and other respondents to file their replies and listed the matter after four weeks.The accused had moved the high court under Section 528 (inherent powers) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), seeking quashing of proceedings in special case No. 89 of 2025 arising out of case crime No. 337 of 2024. The case invokes provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and the Arms Act at Kotwali police station, Sambhal.They also challenged the cognisance and summoning orders dated Feb 20 and May 15, 2025, issued by the court of the additional sessions judge/special judge in Sambhal at Chandausi.During the hearing, counsel for the accused argued that the order framing charges had been passed without proper consideration of facts and settled legal principles. It was contended that the FIR was based on “false and frivolous allegations” and lodged with an ulterior motive to harass the applicants.The defence further submitted that the names of the accused surfaced only on the basis of certain viral videos and that there was no electronic evidence to establish their identity or involvement in the alleged offences.It was also pointed out that in a similar matter, a coordinate bench of the high court had on May 13, 2026, stayed proceedings against four accused.After hearing both sides, the court observed in its June 8 order that, “Prima facie, the matter requires consideration,” and stayed further proceedings against the applicants until the next hearing.
