NEW DELHI: Pulling the curtain down on a 25-year-old legal battle between the two factions of Iskcon over control of Hare Krishna temple and other assets in Bengaluru, Supreme Court on Friday ruled that Iskcon Bangalore will have control over it and quashed the Karnataka high court order in favour of Iskcon Mumbai .
Noting that Iskcon was established with a laudable object and had initiated the Hare Krishna movement, a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih said the dispute between Iskcon Mumbai and Iskcon Bangalore ought not to have been brought to court. The dispute between the two organisations, which are working to spread devotion and spirituality , began in 2001 when Iskcon Bangalore filed a civil suit for control of the temple and other material assets.
Examining all the documentary records and statement of witnesses, the court said that the application for allotment of land was made by Iskcon Bangalore and the sale deed was also executed in its favour, and Iskcon Mumbai cannot lay claim over it.
“Therefore, the high court’s finding that Iskcon Mumbai, through its branch in Bangalore, was the owner of the Schedule ‘A’ property is completely erroneous and deserves to be set aside. It is completely contrary to the documentary evidence. Even assuming that Iskcon Bangalore did not possess funds, and even if money came from Iskcon Mumbai, it cannot claim ownership. Only because the existence of the Bangalore branch of Iskcon Mumbai was proved, one cannot jump to the conclusion that allotment of Schedule ‘A’ property was to Iskcon Mumbai through the Bangalore branch,” the court said.
Karnataka HC had on May 23, 2011 passed an order in favour of the Mumbai unit by setting aside the decree passed by the trial court, and Iskcon Bangalore thereafter moved the apex court which passed an interim order to maintain status quo.
Noting that Iskcon was established with a laudable object and had initiated the Hare Krishna movement, a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih said the dispute between Iskcon Mumbai and Iskcon Bangalore ought not to have been brought to court. The dispute between the two organisations, which are working to spread devotion and spirituality , began in 2001 when Iskcon Bangalore filed a civil suit for control of the temple and other material assets.
Examining all the documentary records and statement of witnesses, the court said that the application for allotment of land was made by Iskcon Bangalore and the sale deed was also executed in its favour, and Iskcon Mumbai cannot lay claim over it.
“Therefore, the high court’s finding that Iskcon Mumbai, through its branch in Bangalore, was the owner of the Schedule ‘A’ property is completely erroneous and deserves to be set aside. It is completely contrary to the documentary evidence. Even assuming that Iskcon Bangalore did not possess funds, and even if money came from Iskcon Mumbai, it cannot claim ownership. Only because the existence of the Bangalore branch of Iskcon Mumbai was proved, one cannot jump to the conclusion that allotment of Schedule ‘A’ property was to Iskcon Mumbai through the Bangalore branch,” the court said.
Karnataka HC had on May 23, 2011 passed an order in favour of the Mumbai unit by setting aside the decree passed by the trial court, and Iskcon Bangalore thereafter moved the apex court which passed an interim order to maintain status quo.
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