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JDA notice to ex-deputy CM to demolish illegal house near army ammo dump
Despite the case being subjudice, former deputy CM Nirmal Singh and his family moved into their bungalow in July last year. Earlier, despite written requests from top officers of Nagrota-based 16 Corps, Nirmal continued with the construction.
Jammu The Jammu Development Authority (JDA) has served a notice to former deputy chief minister and former speaker J&K, Nirmal Singh, for illegally constructing his house near the army’s ammunition depot in Nagrota area of Jammu district. In the notice, issued on November 8, the JDA has asked Nirmal to dismantle his bungalow, built on 2,000sq m plot, within five days on his own.
“Failure to abide by the notice within five days from the date of its issuance will lead to the enforcement wing of the JDA to dismantle the house, with costs to be recovered from him as arrears of the land revenue,” a JDA official added. The army has already moved the high court against Nirmal for constructing the palatial bungalow, just 580 yards from its ammunition depot.
Despite the case being subjudice, Nirmal and his family moved into their bungalow in July last year. Earlier, despite written requests from top officers of Nagrota-based 16 Corps, Nirmal continued with the construction.
Nirmal’s wife Mamta Singh had posted a picture of hers along with her grandson at the newly-constructed house on July 25 on Facebook to inform the people about their ‘Grah Pravesh’.
“I am in Ludhiana at a wedding function, but my servant has informed me about the JDA notice. Though the matter is sub-judice, my lawyer will take appropriate action and legal remedy available to me,” Nirmal told HT, adding, “I am being singled out. There is politics behind it but I believe in law and will take legal recourse.”
He claimed, “There are many big names (involved in land encroachment) but I am being politically victimised. The issue is being politicised but the rule of law is equal for everyone. The notice has been served to me after four years, he said and added that he was a responsible citizen and has a right to legal remedy.”
The JDA notice reads “Order of demolition in terms of section 7(3) of Control of Building Operation Act 1988’.This notice was issued pursuant upon a show cause notice issued to him under section 7(1) of the Control of Building Operations Act (COBA). The JDA also noted that Nirmal “has not attained valid permission from the competent authority as prescribed under law”.
The plot is part of 12 acre purchased by some senior BJP leaders, through a company Himgiri Infrastructure Development Limited, of which Mamta Singh was a shareholder.
CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN 2017
A month after construction of the house started in October 2017, the army informed and requested the then deputy commissioner, Jammu, through a letter on November 2, 2017, to order the police authority and the civil administration to stop it, since the activity was in violation of the Works of Defence Act, 1903. Nirmal Singh was then the deputy CM.
The Army had also lodged a written complaint before SHO Nagrota on November 27, 2017, and also approached SSP Jammu on December 12 for the registration of an FIR. With no action resulting, however, Corps Commander 16 Corps Lt General Saranjeet Singh wrote to Nirmal, who was then the deputy CM, on March 19, 2018. Finally, the army moved the high court in May 2018.
