SC steps in to stop encroachment on ‘acquired’ land

The SC directs the Centre and the Delhi Govt to ensure no encroachment takes place on a piece of land acquired 11 years ago for the construction of a sports school, reports Bhadra Sinha.

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre and the Delhi Govt to ensure no encroachment took place on a piece of land acquired 11 years ago in southwest Delhi for the construction of a sports school.

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A Bench headed by Justice Altamas Kabir passed the order after one Anang Pal Singh alleged that some unknown people had started work on a samadhi in memory of former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma.

Justice Kabir also said the nature and use of the land should not be changed until the court decided on a previous petition filed by Singh, challenging the land acquisition. Singh had challenged the Delhi government's notification of 1997 acquiring his land in Ghevra Mor for the construction of a sports school.

Singh moved an urgent petition recently after the alleged encroachment. When he confronted the alleged encroachers, they allegedly said Verma's sons had sent them.

Justice Kabir asked the counsel for Verma's sons whether they had permission to construct the samadhi. They claimed they had moved an application seeking government sanction. But the government counsel denied having received any such plea.

Justice Kabir reprimanded the government for not acting on Singh's complaint over the alleged encroachment. Asking the government to ensure a status quo, the court shot a copy of the order granting protection to the "disputed land."

Singh's counsel Pardeep Gupta said: "This land belongs to my client. The government acquired it 11 years ago. The acquisition is being challenged and proceedings are before the apex court. How can a third party enter the land without authority?"

Gupta said his client had approached the police for criminal proceedings against the alleged trespassers, but there was no action.