The Jharkhand High Court on Friday stayed the ongoing demolition of houses at Madhukam under the Sukhdevnagar police station limits in Ranchi and restrained the town circle officer from taking any coercive action while the matter remains pending before the court.
Justice Rajesh Shankar passed the interim order while hearing a petition filed by Rounak Kumar and other residents of Madhukam challenging the demolition of their houses by the district administration as part of an anti-encroachment drive.
The district administration had launched an anti-encroachment drive targeting structures allegedly built on government and municipal land along Ratu Road. During the operation, bulldozers were used to demolish several houses in the Madhukam area. According to the authorities, 12 houses were marked for demolition, some of which have already been partially razed.
Aggrieved by the action, the residents approached the High Court contending that the demolition was illegal.
The petitioners submitted that the land in question had been purchased by them through registered sale deeds and that they had constructed their houses after paying consideration. It was claimed that the land was bought at the rate of ₹5.25 lakh per kattha and duly registered before the registry office.
They argued that despite holding registered documents, their houses were being demolished without following due process.
Taking note of the submissions, the High Court ordered a stay on further demolition in the area. The court directed the town circle officer not to take any action against the inhabitants and not to exert pressure on them while the matter remains sub judice.
The matter is scheduled to be taken up again on February 27.
