MHC directs TN to resume back land from AIADMK MLA, BJP dist.secy

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to evict a Coimbatore based Singanallur MLA K R Jayaraman (AIADMK) and U Balaji, Coimbatore district secretary of BJP from land belonging to the government and directed the commissioner of land administration to initiate criminal proceedings.

Whomsoever the illegal occupant of the government land and how so ever high they are, this court cannot allow them to go scot-free, observed Justice S M Subramaniam while pronouncing the order. In the name of public service, no one cannot loot public property, all such persons are liable to prosecute known to the law, the judge observed. The judge also opined that the systemic grabbing of government lands is growing day by day, the present case is such one.

Further, the judge directed the commissioner of land administration to resume the government land which is illegally possessed by Singanallur MLA within four weeks. The judge also directed the commissioner to investigate the matter and initiate criminal proceedings against the lawbreakers.

The Additional Advocate General (AAG) R Ramanlaal submitted that in compliance with this court's order, the government land has been resumed in the revenue record. Further, he contended that Singanallur MLA K R Jayaraman (AIADMK) and U Balaji, district secretary of BJP, Coimbatore illegally possessed the said land and constructed a structure.

A petitioner G C Sivaraj moved the Madras High Court (MHC) to direct the revenue divisional officer, Coimbatore to grant patta for a land in favour of him, which is now possession of the AIADMK MLA and BJP functionary.

An extent of 45.82 acres of land in Vilankurichi Village, Coimbatore, measuring which belonged to the petitioner's grandfather was resumed by the government as the land was found as surplus land under the Tamil Nadu Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling) Act, 1961.

However, in 2012 the tahsildar, Coimbatore North issued a patta for the land in favour of the petitioner's family. Since the issuance of the patta is in contravention of the provisions of the Act, the revenue divisional officer, Coimbatore canceled the patta.

When the petitioner moved the MHC to grant the patta in favour of him, the judge rejected the petition and directed the government to resume the government land.