Former SC Judge's Land Attempted To Be Grabbed : Jharkhand High Court Takes Suo Motu Cognisance Of Rising Land Grabbing Cases

The Jharkhand High Court has taken cognisance of rising cases of land grabbing by organised gangs of land grabbers in the state by instituting a suo-motu writ petition and arraying the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Home), SSP (Ranchi) and Officer-in-Charge of Lower Bazar Police Station as Respondents in the case.

The court took cognisance on the basis of a news report published in a local newspaper showing how land grabbers attempted to grab the land of former Supreme Court Judge Late Justice MY Eqbal during broad daylight in Ranchi’s Lower Bazar Police Station area.

The court appointed Mr. R.K. Mallick, Additional DGP (Communication) to conduct an enquiry into the incident of attempting to grab land belonging to Late Justice MY Eqbal, to ascertain whether there was any prima facie evidence to suggest that the local police or any other persons were involved or did the police fail to do its duty.

“We have experiences on judicial side that gangs of land grabbers are operating in the State of Jharkhand ... We would indicate that “the person” whose land was attempted to be grabbed by a gang of criminals and land grabbers is not important. The situation this court has come across is the reason this court has taken cognisance of the matter,” a division bench of Justices Shree Chandrashekhar and Ratnaker Bhengra noted.

While noting that the rising cases of land grabbing in the State raises a serious concern regarding the protection of life and property of the residents, the bench noted, “We would assume that the situation is within the knowledge of the State administration as several petitions have been filed in the High Court complaining against attempts of land grabbing and demand of ransom by such gangs…”

The court cautioned that such acts of vandalism and attempts to grab lands done in a brazen manner would affect public order and was likely to shake the confidence of people in the system.

“Prima facie it appears to us that there are other outside forces which are instigating such incidents and protecting the anti-social elements and land grabbers,” the bench further observed.

The court directed the SSP to file an affidavit detailing the cases against land grabbing registered in Ranchi and the status of such complaints/FIRs and the action taken in those cases to bust such gangs that are operational in the State.

The court further directed the Principal Secretary (Home) to give information regarding any decision/discussion that has taken place regarding the rising cases of land grabbing in the State.

While directing the Advocate General to appear in the matter, the bench posted the hearing of the case to the 18th of July. It also appointed Mr. Atanu Banerjee as an Amicus Curiae in the case.

Case Title: The Court on its own Motion vs. State of Jharkhand & Ors. W.P. (C) 7283/2023

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