UP: Team formed to probe construction of SP MP Zia-Ur-Rahman Barq's house in Sambhal

Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 19 (ANI): Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in Sambhal, Vandana Mishra, said that a team has been formed to determine when Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Zia-Ur-Rahman Barq's house was constructed.
This comes amid allegations that SP MP Zia-Ur-Rahman Barq's house was built in the regulated area of Sambhal without proper permissions.
The SDM said that construction work was being carried out without approval from the civic authorities, and the case was set for review on this date.
SDM Vandana Mishra said the MP failed to present any proof during Tuesday's scheduled hearing to support his claim that the property does not belong to him or that it is not a newly constructed building.
With no evidence from the defence, a team had been formed to assess the situation on the ground. This team will evaluate the age of the new construction, and their findings are expected to be submitted within three days.
Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, Vandana Mishra said, "Today was the date in that case (carrying out construction work without getting the building map approved from civic authorities), but the SP MP's (Zia Ur Rehman) side did not present any evidence, nor any fact was presented which proves that it is not a new construction, nor any such proof was given which proves that this house belongs to someone else."
"We have formed a joint team, and this team will go there and check how old the new construction is. They will submit the report within 3 days, and after that, we will take further action. The next date in this has been fixed as March 22," she said.
Earlier, work of painting at the Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh' Sambhal began after the Allahabad High Court granted permission on March 12.
Speaking to ANI, the contractor assigned by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to paint the Sambhal Jama Masjid stated that the work is likely to be completed within a week, and eight people have been engaged in it.
"A total of eight people are at work. The work of painting has been started. We will finish the work within a week. We have been only directed to whitewash the mosque. The ASI has assigned us," he said.
While hearing the case of the Sambhal Jama Masjid on March 12, the Allahabad High Court gave permission to whitewash the mosque from the outside and also decorate it with lights without tampering with anything. The next hearing in the case is on April 8.
Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal mandated a panel consisting of ASI officials, a scientific expert, and a local administration representative to ensure the work was conducted without causing structural damage to the mosque.
Earlier in February, the Uttar Pradesh police's SIT filed a charge sheet of over 4,000 pages in six of the 12 cases in the November 24 Sambhal violence that erupted during the ASI's examination of the Mughal-era mosque.
The violence resulted in the deaths of four individuals and injuries to several others, including officials and locals. (ANI)