Grabbing of gram sabha land: HC orders DM to file reply

Hearing a public interest litigation alleging grabbing of Gram Sabha land in violation of court order, the Allahabad High Court on Thursday asked Gautam Budh Nagar (NOIDA) DM AV Rajmauli to file a reply by the next date of hearing on October 7, 2014.
Passing the order on a contempt petition filed by Teekam Singh of NOIDA, Justice Pankaj Naqvi stated that that the DM need not appear before the court at this stage.The court also directed that the counter affidavit may be filed within the aforesaid period or else charges would be framed after summoning DM.
However, the court granted one more opportunity to DM to comply with the order within a month. If the order is complied with, he may file an affidavit of compliance, the court directed.
It was alleged in the contempt petition that while hearing a PIL, the court had directed the DMs across the state on December 12, 2012 to take action against those allegedly grabbing the Gram Sabha land and ponds in the state. The counsel for the petitioner alleged that petitioner Teekam Singh had moved an application before the NOIDA authorities that some persons were grabbing the Gram Sabha land at Naya Bans and Mamoora villages. The petitioner alleged that despite complaints, the NOIDA authorities were allotting these Gram Sabha lands to encroachers.
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