The Telangana High Court has directed Forest Department officials not to interfere with the peaceful possession, administration and management of a mosque and madrasa situated at Ananthagiri Hills in Vikarabad District without following due process of law.

The Court, however, clarified that its order cannot be used to encroach upon any Reserve Forest area and the forest officials can take appropriate action in case of any encroachment on such land.

Justice Surepalli Nanda passed the order after taking note of the Forest Department's specific stand that its officials had neither interfered with the lawful possession or religious activities of the institution nor attempted to dispossess its Mutawalli.

The Court directed:

“This Writ Petition is disposed of directing the respondent forest officials not to interfere with the peaceful possession, administration, management and enjoyment of Sunni Masjid Osmania and Deeni Madarsa, situated at Ananthagiri hills, Vikarabad District, without following due process of law. It is further observed that under the guise of the present order, passed in the present writ petition, the Sunni Masjid Osmania and Deeni Madarsa, situated at Ananthagiri hills, Vikarabad District, shall not encroach upon any Reserve Forest area.”

The Court further made it clear that if there is any encroachment upon Reserve Forest land, the Forest Department would remain free to initiate appropriate action against the persons concerned in accordance with law, including under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and other relevant laws.

The writ petition was filed by the Mutawalli of Sunni Masjid Osmania and Deeni Madarsa. He alleged that Forest Department officials were interfering with the possession, administration and management of the institution without issuing any statutory notice or following due process.

The petitioner stated that the mosque and madrasa were religious and charitable institutions at Ananthagiri Hills and had been conducting daily prayers, imparting religious education and carrying out charitable activities for several years.

He relied on proceedings of the Telangana State Waqf Board dated June 5, 2023, issued pursuant to a resolution dated April 6, 2023. He submitted that the mosque, madrasa and an old-age home had been registered as Waqf under Section 36 of the Waqf Act, 1995. He also relied on a Muntakhab and a September 2023 Gazette notification.

The petitioner alleged that Forest officials had been interfering with the day-to-day functioning of the madrasa, including the educational and recreational activities of students.

In particular, he alleged that on July 17, 2026, Forest officials entered the premises during Friday prayers, obstructed the congregation and orally directed him and others to vacate the premises. He contended that such interference without notice or due process was illegal and arbitrary.

The Forest Department denied the allegations wherein it submitted written instructions issued by the Forest Range Officer, Vikarabad, on July 30. The Department maintained that it had "never interfered with the lawful possession or religious activities" conducted within the enclosure and had never attempted to dispossess the petitioner except in accordance with law.

The Department submitted that it was statutorily bound to protect Reserved Forests from encroachments, unauthorised activities, dumping of debris, disposal of waste material and other activities detrimental to the forest ecosystem.

It maintained that any inspection or action undertaken by its officials was solely in discharge of these statutory duties and was not intended to interfere with the lawful rights of any person. It therefore argued that the petitioner had approached the High Court merely on the basis of an apprehension.

The High Court noted that the petitioner's allegations of interference were specifically disputed by the Forest Department. It particularly took note of the Department's categorical stand that its officials were “neither interfering with lawful possession and religious activities” of the mosque and madrasa nor had they attempted to dispossess the petitioner at any point.

The Court also considered the documents filed by the petitioner indicating the legal status of the mosque and madrasa.

In these circumstances, the Court disposed of the petition by directing the Forest officials not to interfere with the peaceful possession, administration, management and enjoyment of the institution without following due process of law.

Case Title: Mohammed Faiyaz Ali v. State of Telangana & Ors.

Case No.: W.P. No. 24301 of 2026

Appearance: Mohammed Ismail Khan for the petitioner; Assistant Government Pleader for Forests for Respondent Nos. 1 to 5; Farhan Azam Khan, Standing Counsel for the Waqf Board, for Respondent No. 6.

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