Officials appear hand in gloves with land mafia, says HC over property demolition in Patna

  • | Sunday | 4th December, 2022

Patna, Dec 4 (PTI) The Patna High Court has slammed the "illegal demolition" of a property in the Bihar capital, and remarked that officials concerned appeared to be "hand in gloves" with land mafia.The damning observations came from a single judge bench of Justice Sandeep Kumar which was hearing the petition filed by Sajoga Devi, a resident of the city"s Bahadurpur locality.The petitioner had moved the court contending that "some part" of her house had been "illegally" demolished by the police "though they do not have the authority to do the same".On November 10, the court had directed the SHO of Agamkuan, the police station concerned, and the state to file a counter affidavit and ordered that "police officials and other respondents be restrained from going near the house of the petitioner".On the subsequent date of hearing, on November 24, the court was miffed to learn that while a reply had been filed on behalf of the SHO, the state had sought two more weeks" time to come up with its counter affidavit.The court took note of the petitioner"s allegation that a "false case" had been filed against her "to pressurize them to vacate the land at the instance of land mafia who are private respondents in this case" and restrained the police from arresting any of the persons named as accused.A purported video clip of the November 24 hearing has gone viral on the social media.The veracity of the clip, however, remains unverified.Oral remarks heard in the clip like the police having assumed the role of a civil court and caustic reference to the "bulldozer", which has come to represent coercive powers of the state in contemporary political lexicon, cannot be found in the order.The written order, though, does express strong dissatisfaction with the counter affidavit of the SHO of Agamkuan, with the remark "it seems all officials are hand in gloves with some land mafia and they have illegally demolished the house of the petitioner without following the due process of law".The court fixed December 8 as the next date of hearing in the matter, directing the SHO and the Superintendent of Police of Patna (East), under whose charge Agamkuan falls, besides Circle Officer, Patna City (revenue department official concerned) to appear in person.The court also warned that "appropriate order will be passed against" respondents who failed to appear on the next date of hearing. PTI NAC RMS RMS


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