Meerut, March 3 -- The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has informed the Central Information Commission (CIC) that it possesses no records indicating whether the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal was built after demolishing an earlier structure or on vacant land. In response to a right to information (RTI) application filed by Sambhal-based lawyer Satya Prakash Yadav, ASI also said it held no documents identifying the landowner at the time of the mosque's construction, said to be in 1526. Yadav had sought details about the Mughal-era mosque's origins, including whether it replaced any prior ruins, the name of the landowner at the time and documentary proof granting ownership rights. In its written reply, the ASI stated that "no such information is available in this office." HT has seen a copy of the RTI response. The applicant also asked about the nature of structures present at the site when it was taken under government protection, any subsequent constructions and records of past disputes linked to the mosque. ASI responded that it had no such information on file. Tension has simmered in the Uttar Pradesh town since November 2024 when a civil court directed the advocate commissioner to conduct a survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid on a suit filed by Hindu groups that the Islamic structure was built after demolishing a temple. The survey triggered clashes, resulting in the deaths of four people. Located in the heart of the city in the Kotgarvi locality, the Shahi Jama Masjid is an important religious and historical site for the Muslim community. It is believed to have been constructed in the 16th century by Mir Hindu Beg, a Mughal general. The mosque is a protected monument notified on December 22, 1920....