The Gujarat High Court on Friday dismissed appeals filed by the Sant Shri Asharam Trust challenging the government’s takeover of over 45,000 square metres of land in Motera. The ruling paves the way for the development of the Sardar Patel Sports Complex, a critical infrastructure project ahead of the 2030 Commonwealth Games and proposed Olympic bids.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice DN Ray upheld a previous single-bench order, citing “gross violations” of land allotment conditions and extensive encroachment on government land and the Sabarmati River belt.
The legal battle centered on land situated near the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera. The State revenue authorities had issued eviction notices to the Trust, which manages the ashram of the self-styled godman Asaram, alleging that the organization had breached the conditions under which the land was originally allotted and regularized.
The Trust had initially approached the Gujarat Revenue Tribunal and later a single judge of the High Court, both of whom declined to intervene in the eviction process. In its appeal to the division bench, the Trust argued that the government’s actions were “premeditated,” claiming the encroachment allegations were a pretext to seize land for the proposed sports enclave.
The High Court bench rejected the Trust’s arguments, focusing on the factual findings of illegal occupation. The court noted that the Trust had not only violated specific allotment conditions but had also expanded its footprint by encroaching upon substantial areas of surrounding open land.
Crucially, the bench highlighted the illegal occupation of the Sabarmati River belt. The court stated:
“In the totality of the facts and circumstances of the present case, none of the prayers made in the writ petition can be granted. There is no question of regularisation of the riverbed land encroached upon by the petitioner. Any such indulgence will be contrary to the decision of the apex court.”
Following the dismissal, the Trust requested a four-week stay on the order to allow for an appeal to the Supreme Court. However, the bench denied this request after the government pleader assured the court that a fresh eviction notice would be issued, providing the Trust “considerable time” to comply with the directive.
The land in question is slated to become a cornerstone of the Sardar Patel Sports Complex. The state government intends to utilize the 45,000-square-metre plot to build world-class facilities as Gujarat prepares to host international sporting events.
The Motera ashram has been the site of significant controversy for over a decade. Its founder, Asaram (84), is currently serving two separate life sentences. In 2013, he was convicted of raping a minor at his Rajasthan ashram. More recently, in January 2023, a Gandhinagar court sentenced him to life imprisonment for the repeated rape of a female disciple at the Motera ashram between 2001 and 2006.
With this High Court ruling, the state government moves one step closer to reclaiming the land for public infrastructure, effectively ending the Trust’s long-standing occupation of the prime Motera real estate.
