The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has ordered the Lucknow district magistrate to remove all unauthorized encroachments from the grounds of Ram Bharose Maiku Lal Inter College in the Telibagh area within three months.
Presiding over a petition filed by the institution’s management committee on Wednesday, Justice Pankaj Bhatia mandated full compliance and instructed the district magistrate to submit an action-taken report within the stipulated deadline. The bench explicitly emphasized that administrative action must not be influenced by the fact that one of the alleged occupants serves as the public relations officer to the state finance minister.
The court warned former principal Sukhpal Singh, who currently holds the ministerial post, that any attempt to obstruct the eviction process would be treated with utmost seriousness. It also directed that a copy of the judicial order be delivered to the finance minister.
Management Committee Seeks Back Rent from Former Principal
According to the management committee’s petition, Singh served as the head of the institution from 1988 until his retirement on Jan. 31, 2017. The committee stated that although Singh drew a regular house rent allowance throughout his tenure, he refused to surrender the official residence upon stepping down.
In addition to securing the vacation of the property, the college management has sought financial recovery from Singh, demanding rent assessed at prevailing market rates for the entire period of his unauthorized stay.
**State Land Records Contradict Inheritance Claims**
A verification report presented to the bench by state authorities indicated that the college’s recognized campus spans plots registered under gata numbers 41 and 44. This designated boundary covers the school building, the principal’s chamber, administrative offices, auxiliary structures, and open grounds. The state confirmed that various parcels of this land have been occupied without authorization by multiple individuals, including the former principal.
During the hearing, legal counsel representing Singh contended that the premises had originally been occupied by his grandfather and remained under his possession by way of inheritance. The defense, however, was unable to furnish any documentation before the court to substantiate the inheritance claim.
