MHC fines petitioner Rs 25,000 for innocuous prayer

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed a petitioner to pay Rs 25,000 as a fine for seeking to restore a private land, claiming it as a burial ground, by making innocuous prayer and seeking to conduct a roving inquiry.

A division bench of the Madras High Court (MHC) comprising Justice S Vaidyanathan and Justice K Rajasekar observed that by means of an innocuous prayer, the petitioner wants this court to conduct a roving inquiry, which is not permissible.

Subsequently, the bench directed the petitioner to pay Rs.25,000 as the quantified cost to Shri Ghosala Seva Trust, R.A. Puram, Chennai, and dismissed the petition.

The bench further observed that the survey number submitted by the government establishes that the impugned land is private land, not government land or burial ground.

The petitioner, Silambarasan, claiming himself as a reporter, moved the MHC seeking to direct the government to take action against the land grabber.

According to the petitioner, Dollars colony developers in Hosur are selling plots in Onnalvadi, Hosur, which is government land used by the public as a burial ground. With the nexus of government officials, the developers company received approval and converted the government land into private land. Further, his representation to the government was also left without any action, said the petitioner.

However, the court found the impugned land as private land and dismissed the petition with cost.