"Serious Allegations Of Mala-Fides": Allahabad HC Issues Notice To UP Dy-CM Keshav Maurya In 'Illegal House Grabbing' Case

The Allahabad High Court has issued a notice to Keshav Prasad Maurya, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh directing him to file a counter affidavit in reply to a plea wherein certain allegations have been leveled against him related to an alleged illegal house grabbing matter.

The Bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Om Prakash Tripathi issued notice to the Deputy CM as it noted that despite Court's previous orders, no counter affidavit had been filed by the State-respondents

The Court also observed in its order that there are serious allegations of mala-fides against Maurya.

"It is stated that he has got a long criminal history and it was with his support that the private respondent is trying to grab the house of the petitioner," noted the Court as it issued the notice to Maurya posting the matter for further hearing on January 10, 2022.

Essentially, the Court was dealing with a writ plea of one Vishnu Murti Tripathi who has alleged that the son of the Deputy CM of UP, Yogesh Maurya is running a Land Mafia gang in Prayagraj district and he grabbed his property forcibly.

The petitioner has alleged that he had bought a house in Kalindipuram, Allahabad but later on, he was forcefully dispossessed of the possession of his house and the possession was given to a lady, with the aid of the police.

The petitioner has also submitted that the act of dispossessing him of his occupation of the house in dispute is completely illegal and has been done on the behest of Deputy CM Maurya.

The plea further avers thus:

"...when the gang could not succeed in their malice mission then Deputy Chief Minister Shri Keshav Prasad Maurya has directed Senior Superintendent of Police, Allahabad and Chairman, Prayagraj the Development Authority Allahabad to get possession of petitioner's house to a member of the above gang and her husband Shri Teerath Raj Maurya...Respondent No.9 and her husband Shri Teerath Raj Maurya (active member of the above Land mafia gang) have forcibly grabbed the petitioner's house with the active support of police and Prayagraj Development Authority staff in absence of the petitioner, without having any legal paper of ownership"

The petitioner has also alleged that the 'gang' which is running with the support of Dy CM Maurya is always in the search of the property of the weaker section of the society and the gang gets possession over the properties by hook or by crook.

The petitioner has prayed before the court that a writ order or direction in the nature of mandamus be issued to officials to get vacated petitioner's house from the possession of Respondent No.9 and hand over the possession to the petitioner.

Case title - Vishnu Murti Tripathi v. State Of U.P. And 8 Others

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