Sahara moves SC against demolition

Sahara Group seeks contempt action against the Lucknow Development Authority for carrying out demolition at Sahara Saher against the SC order to maintain status quo.

Sahara Group on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court seeking contempt action against the Lucknow Development Authority for carrying out certain demolition at Sahara Saher against the apex court's order to maintain status quo.

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A bench headed by Justice Altamas Kabir decided to hear the matter on Wednesday after Sahara mentioned it before the bench.

The bench said the matter will be heard only after the application is filed and the copy of it is served to the opposite party.

The LDA, acting on direction from the state government, on Monday pulled down some temporary structure and barricade and filed an FIR against the officials of the Sahara Group, saying these were erected after the apex court's order of status quo.

But the Sahara Group termed the action as illegal and threatened to move the apex court against it.

Later in a statement, an LDA spokesperson said that an FIR has been registered against people involved in initiating "illegal construction" again in Sahara Saher and police force has been deployed at the site.

After Tuesday's demolition, a Sahara group spokesperson said in a statement that it "will approach the Supreme Court for taking appropriate action against the high handed, illegal and arbitrary action of officers of LDA."

Following the SC direction to both the parties to maintain status quo, it informed "LDA and other authorities about existing status and requested to maintain the status quo," the statement added.