MP High Court overturns fraudulent temple decree:State regains rights over ₹200-crore Baglamukhi Temple land as shopkeepers remove belongings late at night

The Madhya Pradesh High Court’s Indore bench has restored the state government’s ownership over land worth nearly Rs 200 crore linked to the famous Maa Baglamukhi Temple in Nalkheda. The court dismissed the first appeal filed by Sanat Kumar and other petitioners, ruling in favor of the state. The lower court’s earlier decision—which declared the 1997 decree fraudulent, forged, and void—has also been upheld.
Dispute dragged on for over two decades The land dispute had been ongoing for more than 20 years. In 1997, the opposing party allegedly attempted to claim the land by concealing key facts. On March 14, 2007, the Additional District Judge of Agar, citing strong evidence, invalidated the decree as illegal. In its order, the High Court noted that the decree was obtained through deceit, suppression of documents, and a suspicious will, none of which had legal standing. The bench also pointed out that the temple deity/management was not made a party to the original suit, even though the matter directly concerned temple property. Land recorded as temple/Dharamshala property in revenue records During the final hearing, Additional Advocate General Anand Soni represented the state and submitted extensive revenue records, original documents of the Waqf Committee, the traditional guru–chela system of temple succession, earlier judgments, and the entire set of questionable documents. The court accepted that the state’s arguments were not only strong but also exposed the fraudulent nature of the entire episode. The disputed land had long been officially recorded as temple/Dharamshala property. Since 2006–07, the land has been duly registered under the name of the Shri Ram Mandir Administrator (Collector). The court stressed that temple property rights cannot be established through any fraudulent or fabricated document. This verdict is seen as significant from religious, legal, and social perspectives, providing renewed protection for the property of religious institutions. Administration takes overnight action after court order Following the High Court verdict, the district administration began reclaiming possession of the temple land late Friday night. Collector Preeti Yadav stated that, in compliance with the court order, the process of handing over the land back to the government-appointed temple custodian is underway. She also warned that any future illegal claims or encroachments would invite strict action. Historic judgment brings longstanding dispute to an end With this ruling, the High Court has secured the Baglamukhi Temple’s valuable land and effectively ended a dispute that persisted for decades.