Sambhal Transfers | Judge Who Ordered Mosque Survey Won't Be New CJM; Sent Back To Original Post Within 48 Hours

Within 48 hours of its previous notification, which became the subject of intense public debate, the High Court has effectively reversed this specific appointment. In a fresh notification issued on January 22, the Court has transferred Judge Aditya Singh back to his original position as Civil Judge (Senior Division), Sambhal.

Consequently, the CJM court's charge will now be handed over to a new judicial officer. Judge Deepak Kumar Jaiswal, currently serving as the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Kaushambi, has been transferred to Sambhal to assume the role of CJM.

According to the latest order, CJM Jaiswal will replace the outgoing CJM Vibhanshu Sudheer, whose transfer to Sultanpur stands confirmed.

Notably, CJM Sudheer was transferred out just days after he passed an order directing the police to register a First Information Report (FIR) against several police officials, including former Circle Officer (CO) Anuj Chaudhary, in connection with the Sambhal violence of November 2024.

Earlier, on January 20, he was replaced by Judge Aditya Singh, the Judge who, on November 19, 2024, passed the order appointing an Advocate Commissioner to survey the Jama Masjid.

This survey had later triggered the violence in which a youth was injured, and whose father's complaint, CJM Sudheer had ordered the lodging of an FIR.

However, as per the transfer order, Judge Jaiswal has been appointed "Vice Sri Aditya Singh", which indicates that, administratively, Judge Aditya Singh held the CJM post for a brief 48-hour period before being reverted to his original post.

In the High Court's latest order of January 22, a total of 255 judicial officers have been transferred across the state.