SDM court summons Lord Hanuman, terms it a 'clerical mistake'

Sasaram (Bihar) Feb 18: A sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) issued summons to Lord Hanuman among others in connection with encroachment case, but the baffling direction has now been rectified by the court which termed it as a 'clerical mistake'.

The SDM court had on February 5 issued summons to Lord Hanuman and others while hearing an application filed by irrigation department which claimed that Lord Hanuman, Sai Baba and more than 100 others have encroached upon its land in Dehri-On-Sone town of Rohtas district.

The SDM court had posted the matter for further hearing on February 16. But as the issue of summons to Lord Hanuman came to light, SDM Pankaj Patel yesterday dictated a fresh order and admitted that the earlier order had a 'clerical mistake'.

"Neither a notice can be sent to God nor God can be asked to appear in the court," Patel said and asked the manager or pujari of the temple to file his reply in this regard.

The pujari of Hanuman temple, located in Anikat locality of Dehri-On-Sone, appeared on February 16 and told the court that the said temple was existing since 1970s and the temple had not encroached on the land of irrigation department.

Earlier, the department had served notices to alleged encroachers after carrying out survey of the said area in the town. It also filed an application before the SDM court in this regard which issued summons to the concerned parties.

PTI