The Delhi High Court has rejected a plea to overturn the demolition order for the house of shooting coach Samresh Jung in Khyber Pass, Civil Lines, Delhi.
Samresh Jung, who has coached Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker, saw his brother Samir Jung challenge the March 1, 2024 demolition order.
Justice Sanjeev Narula dismissed the plea, stating that the petitioner has no legal right to the property, as it was subleased to the petitioner’s family. The Central Government had issued a demolition notice for occupants across 32 acres in the Khyber Pass area.
Samir Jung, represented by advocates Rohit Yadav, Sahil Siddiqui, and Gultash Guron, argued that his family had been legal sub-tenants for over 70 years and resided on the property. The March 1 notice had labeled around 1,000 residents of Khyber Pass Market as unauthorized occupants and initiated a blanket eviction and demolition without a show-cause notice or hearing.
The petition claimed that the Union of India failed to verify the petitioner’s legal status as a sub-tenant and did not follow due procedure for eviction. It also highlighted the family’s recognized contributions to the nation, noting that the petitioner’s grandfather, Colonel Sher Lung, was a freedom fighter and war hero. In 2013, the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh renamed Simbalbara National Park to “Col. Sher Jung National Park” in his honor.
The petition further noted that Samaresh Jung is currently in Paris as the Head Coach of the Indian Air Pistol team, which has won two bronze medals in the 2024 Olympics. Samaresh Jung has also won two gold medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and 15 medals in various international competitions from 1994 to 2006.
Justice Narula acknowledged the difficulty of the situation but maintained that the authorities had already begun demolition and making exceptions would be challenging. The Jung family, residing in the Bhutta Singh Building, had sought a directive to prevent their eviction.
