Delhi High Court to Hear Petitioner Seeking Quashing of FIR in Kalkaji Mandir Electrocution Case

The Delhi High Court will hear a petition from Mahant Surendranath requesting the dismissal of an FIR connected to a fatal electrocution at Kalkaji Mandir. The petitioner claims limited responsibility, pointing to the Prabandhak Committee for daily operations. Both parties have reached an agreement to quash proceedings.

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice in response to a petition filed by Mahant Surendranath regarding the quashing of an FIR linked to the tragic electrocution at Kalkaji Mandir. The case, which has captured considerable attention, will be heard by Justice Neena Bansal Krishna on February 11, shedding light on the ongoing legal proceedings.

Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa, who represents Mahant Surendranath, argued that his client's responsibilities were limited during the 2024 Navratri, concentrating only on performing rituals and managing finances. It was further highlighted that the Prabandhak Committee oversees daily operations, thus absolving the petitioner from liability. Pahwa emphasized that all necessary permits were duly obtained by the committee.

Amicable settlement has been reached between the involved parties, as outlined in their Memorandum of Understanding, seeking to dismiss the current criminal proceedings. They plan to present affidavits to the court, arguing that prolonging the matter would abuse the judicial process. The incident, which took place in October 2024, claimed the life of a 17-year-old and resulted in injuries to several others during a stampede at the heavily crowded Kalkaji temple during Navratri.