New Delhi: The Supreme Court has asked the Madhya Pradesh government to explain the demolition of a Muslim man’s home in Sehore district despite a court order that protected the property. The notice came after petitioner Imroz Khan approached the court seeking contempt action against state officials.
Imroz said his house, built in 2018, was demolished after a false case of unlawful religious conversion was filed against him. His lawyer, senior advocate Dr S Muralidhar, told the bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chand Rankine that the demolition showed clear disregard for legal protections.
According to the petition, Imroz had secured an order from the Madhya Pradesh High Court that stopped authorities from taking any action on the house. Residents in the neighbourhood said officials ignored repeated reminders about the court order during the demolition. One witness said the officials acted as if the decision had already been made due to Imroz’s Muslim identity.
After the demolition, Imroz returned to the high court with a contempt petition. The petition was dismissed, leaving him to seek relief from the Supreme Court. A family member said they kept showing documents to the officials during the demolition, yet no one listened.
The petition before the Supreme Court states that bulldozer actions without due process violate constitutional safeguards. Imroz has asked the court to cancel the demolition orders, punish the officials involved, award compensation, and begin contempt proceedings.
The Supreme Court has sought a detailed reply from the state and will examine whether officials acted in violation of its earlier directions.
