Stay vacated, Asaram’s ashram to be removed

Nainital, December 21 

The Uttarakhand High Court on Friday paved the way for the state Forest Department to remove the Rishikesh ashram of godman Asaram, built on forestland.

A Bench of Justice Manoj Tiwari gave the green signal for the removal of the ashram by vacating its earlier order that had stayed the department’s order for the removal of the ashram built at Muni Ki Reti in Rishikesh.

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

The court’s order came on a plea by social activist Stefen Dubey, whose counsel Kartikey Harigupta said the lease had been given in 1950 for a period of only 20 years. The Bench then revoked its stay of the Forest Department’s order. — PTI