The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking the preservation of ancient remains and artefacts unearthed while excavating and levelling the land during the construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya, The Hindu reported. The plea was described as “absolutely frivolous” and a ruse to “get rid” of its November 9 judgement. The top court then imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on the petitioners.

The Supreme Court had on November 9 ruled that land at the disputed site, where the Babri Masjid once stood, be allotted to a trust that will oversee the construction of a Ram temple there. The bench also ruled that a separate five-acre plot be allotted in Ayodhya to Muslims for the construction of a mosque.

The plea said “remains, artefacts, antiquities and monuments” recovered from the site in May should be acquired from the chairperson of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth. They should then be protected and conserved as per the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, the petitioners argued.

“The artefacts which are found during digging and levelling of land are under grave apprehension of being destroyed, damaged or modified,” the plea said. “There is a likelihood that similar monuments shall be unearthed during the process of levelling and excavating the land and therefore, directions for supervision of excavation by the Archaeological Survey of India.”

However, the Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra threatened to order a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry against the petitioners. “How dare you approach the court under Article 32?” Justice Mishra said according to Bar and Bench. “You were just trying to stop the verdict of this court.”

Article 32 of the Indian Constitution gives individuals the right to move the Supreme Court by appropriate proceedings for the enforcement of the rights conferred by the Constitution.