108-foot Hanuman statue in Karol Bagh: Delhi HC orders CBI probe

Delhi High Court had earlier asked whether the prominent Hanuman statue could be relocated to decongest the traffic.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the CBI to probe as to how the prominent 108-foot Lord Hanuman statue, located in Karol Bagh area of the national capital, was constructed on the encroached land.

The massive Hanuman statue is located close to a major traffic intersection near Jhandewalan where roads leading to Patel Nagar, Dhaula Kuan, Rohtak and Central Delhi meet. The intersection can always be seen crowded.

While Hearing a plea on unauthorised constructions and encroachments in Delhi's Karol Bagh area last month, the Delhi High Court had asked whether the prominent
Hanuman statue be relocated to decongest the traffic.

Stating that when entire skyscrapers have been relocated in the United States, the bench, comprising of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar, had in November asked if the airlifting of the statue could be considered.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by an NGO that has sought removal of unauthorised constructions and encroachments in Karol Bagh. The HC also came down hard at the municipal corporations over the law enforcement and said that if the civic bodies show that the law is being enforced, then "the mindset of the people of Delhi would change".

The HC has earlier sought to know as to who were the people responsible for erecting such a massive idol at an important traffic intersection. The issue of other buildings in the vicinity and illegal floor being constructed also came up during the hearing.

OneIndia News