Uttarakhand: After Stay Vacated By High Court, Asaram’s Ashram In Rishikesh Set To Be Removed

The Uttarakhand High Court has asked the state Forest Department to remove the Rishikesh ashram of now convicted godman, Asaram, built on a forestland, reports The Tribune.

Justice Manoj Tiwari of the High Court, on 21 December, quashed the stay imposed by the court itself on the forest department order for vacating the Ashram of the jailed preacher, Asaram Bapu, built at Muni Ki Reti in Rishikesh.

In 2013, the forest department had ordered the removal of the ashram on the ground that the lease for the ashram land had expired in 1970 and was never renewed.

Social activist Stefen Dubey filed a plea asking the removal of the ashram. In the plea his counsel, Kartikey Harigupta claimed that the lease had been given in 1950 for only 20 years and the High Court Bench thus revoked its stay of the Forest Department’s order.