Big Breaking: District Court Cancels Illegal Trust Registration of Shri Nagnath Devasthan; 9-Year Legal Battle Ends in Victory for Priests

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Tuljapur | Representative

In a landmark judgment regarding the trust registration of the historic Shri Nagnath Devasthan in Tirtha (Bk.), Tuljapur taluka, the District Court has delivered a significant verdict. After a legal battle spanning nine years, the court has ordered the cancellation of the existing trust's registration, clearing the path for the temple to return to the management of the original priests.

Background of the Case

According to the details, the Shri Nagnath Devasthan of Tirtha (Bk.) was registered as a trust illegally, without taking the main priest, Sudhir Shahaji Puri, and other hereditary priests into confidence.

Initially, Sudhir Puri sought justice at the Charity Commissioner’s Office in Latur against this unauthorized registration. However, his application was rejected there. Following this, the priests moved the District Court and filed an appeal under Civil M.A. No. 41/2017.

Key Findings of the Court

The hearing for this case lasted nine years in the District Court. Advocate P. M. Joshi (Dharashiv) effectively represented the priests. In its judgment, the court clarified:

Illegality cannot be validated: An illegal registration cannot be deemed valid simply because the parties involved were aware of the registration process.

Need for Intervention: The previous decision by the Joint Charity Commissioner (Latur) did not align with the legal framework, making court intervention necessary.

Scope of the Law: The scope of Section 72(A) of the Mumbai Public Trust Act, 1950, cannot be limited merely to the "knowledge" of the registration.

The Final Order

After hearing arguments from both sides, the District Court delivered its verdict on March 25, 2026:

Civil M.A. No. 41/2017 has been approved.

The order passed by the Joint Charity Commissioner, Latur, on January 30, 2017, stands cancelled and set aside.

The revision petition filed by Sudhir Shahaji Puri and Gajendra Bapu Puri has been granted.

End of Inconvenience for Devotees

With the cancellation of the illegal trust registration, the administration of the temple will now return to the original priests. Villagers and devotees have expressed confidence that this will resolve the management hurdles that persisted for years and ensure better facilities for the pilgrims visiting the shrine.