Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 19: In the much publicized Public Interest Litigation (PIL) highlighting encroachment of more than 20 lakh kanals of State land by land mafia in league with politicians, bureaucrats and police officers, Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice Sanjay Kumar Gupta, while expressing displeasure over the non-filling of status reports by the Inspector General of Police Jammu and Vice Chairman JDA, directed both the officers to file requisite status reports before the next date of hearing and in default they shall appear in person.
After hearing Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocates Irfan Mohammad Khan and Supriya Chauhan appearing for the PIL whereas Deputy AG Ehsan Mirza for the Revenue Department, Advocate Adarsh Sharma for JDA, Senior AAG Seema Shekhar for GAD and battery of other lawyers, Division Bench, while referring to order dated May 23, 2017, observed that several directions were passed including one that JDA shall file an affidavit clearly specifying the extent of land which has been demarcated as well as the land from which the encroachments have been removed.
“In an application filed by JDA¸ Inspector General of Police Jammu was directed on the last date of hearing to conduct an enquiry into the alleged role of the Station House Officers whose reference was made in the application and the enquiry report was directed to be filed by or before the next date of hearing”, the DB said, adding “both the Vice Chairman Jammu Development Authority and Inspector General of Police Jammu have not filed the requisite status reports”.
While expressing displeasure over the lackadaisical approach of the senior functionaries of the State Government, DB granted only a week’s time to both officers to file their requisite status reports and in default they were directed to appear in person on the next date of hearing. Division Bench further directed that the JDA and Revenue Department may proceed to the demarcation of land in question.
Meanwhile, Senior Advocate MK Bhardwaj with Advocate Vasu Dubey highlighted encroachment of State land measuring 19 Kanal and 7 Marlas at village Harnota in Kathua district and Division Bench directed the Divisional Commissioner Jammu to get the encroachment removed and file the status report.
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