(MOREPIC1)Subhash Jindal/Chandigarh
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the State of Punjab to seek instructions regarding the action taken on the speaking order dated 05.08.2024 passed by the Deputy Commissioner, S.A.S. Nagar in a matter concerning alleged illegal manipulation of revenue records relating to valuable Municipal Council land at Banur.
The direction came during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation filed by Advocate Sunaina, who appeared as petitioner-in-person before the Court.
(SUBHEAD)The petition raises serious concerns regarding land measuring approximately 156 Bighas 9 Biswas situated at Village Banur, District S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali), which is recorded in the revenue record as property owned by Municipal Council, Banur. As per the petition, the land falls within municipal limits and is estimated to be worth hundreds of crores of rupees.
According to the petition, the ownership and possession of the said land had already been affirmed through civil court proceedings, culminating in dismissal of a Regular Second Appeal by the High Court in 1981. Thereafter, execution proceedings were carried out and possession was officially delivered to Municipal Council Banur on 25.04.2017 by revenue and police authorities.
However, it has been alleged that thereafter a Rapat Roznamcha entry dated 31.08.2017 was illegally recorded by the concerned Patwari, through which the cultivator entry (girdawari) was changed in favour of a Jagtar Chand s/o Amar Singh r/o Barwala District Panchkula without any lawful authority.
The petition further refers to the detailed inquiry conducted by the Deputy Commissioner, S.A.S. Nagar pursuant to earlier directions of the High Court in another writ petition. After examining the entire revenue record and reports from various authorities, the Deputy Commissioner passed a speaking order dated 05.08.2024 holding that the said revenue entry had been wrongly and illegally made and that it violated Government instructions as well as provisions of the Punjab Land Records Manual. The Deputy Commissioner also observed that disciplinary action was required against the concerned Kanungo and Patwari responsible for the illegal entry.
Before the High Court, the petitioner sought directions for constitution of a High-Level Special Investigation Team to investigate the alleged manipulation of government land records and also sought directions to the authorities to take action in terms of the findings recorded in the Deputy Commissioner’s order.
During the hearing, the Court observed that in so far as the grievance regarding non-registration of FIR is concerned, the petitioner has alternative remedies available under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita to approach the concerned police authorities and the jurisdictional Magistrate. Accordingly, the Court declined to entertain the petition to that extent.
However, with regard to the grievance that the order dated 05.08.2024 passed by the Deputy Commissioner directing disciplinary action against the concerned revenue officials has not yet been implemented, the Court directed the State counsel to seek instructions from the Government regarding the action taken on the said order.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on 25.03.2026.