Illegal retention of govt houses in J&K : HC directs admn to verify gift deed of ex-dy CM Gupta

The division bench comprising chief justice N Kotiswar Singh and justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi directed senior additional advocate general SS Nanda to file response to the averments made in a fresh application filed by advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed, who placed on record a gift deed of a residential house dated August 10, 1987, in favour Gupta on record

A division bench of the high court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Tuesday directed the estates department to verify gift deed of a house alloted to former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta.

On September 13, the division bench had directed Ahmed to furnish a list of those politicians who possess houses in Jammu or Srinagar. (iStock)

The division bench comprising chief justice N Kotiswar Singh and justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi directed senior additional advocate general SS Nanda to file response to the averments made in a fresh application filed by advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed, who placed on record a gift deed of a residential house dated August 10, 1987, in favour Gupta on record.

The gift deed was executed by one Yograj Singh of Sarwal in Jammu, which was registered by then sub-registrar (city), Jammu on August 11, 1987.

Kavinder Gupta continues to occupy a ministerial bungalow in posh Gandhi Nagar locality in Jammu. The bench directed senior additional advocate generals Nanda and Monika Kohli, appearing for the administration, to ascertain the correctness of the persons, if necessary, namely Kavinder Gupta and Yograj Singh in terms of order dated September 13.

On September 13, the division bench had directed Ahmed to furnish a list of those politicians who possess houses in Jammu or Srinagar.

A status report filed by the estates department on March 28 listed 48 politicians who were still occupying the government accommodation in violation of law as the last elected government had ceased on June 19, 2018. The division bench added, “It is made clear that if the requisite information is not furnished before the next date by the respondents, this ourt will proceed to array the persons named in the application as party respondents and seek response from them”.

Ahmed argued that since August 10, 1987, Gupta is the owner of the house in the gift deed and that the ex-deputy CM has been illegally staying in a ministerial bungalow in Gandhi Nagar. He submitted that the allotment made in Gupta’s favour by the estates department was to be cancelled as he owns a residential house in Jammu.

Ahmed placed on record the names of politicians who had residential accommodation in Jammu and Srinagar but they continue to occupy government bungalows.

The division bench directed the registry to list the case on February 28.