Allahabad HC Orders Lucknow Police Commissioner To Probe Land Grabbing Allegations Against Cops

Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court has directed the Lucknow Police Commissioner to investigate allegations of land grabbing and intimidation by police personnel from the Gomti Nagar police station.

The order came a day prior after the court examined the petition filed by Arvind Kumar Sharma, who alleged that he and his family were being forcibly evicted from their property by individuals linked to the local police.

Investigation

The court also instructed the Commissioner to probe a property deed that was reportedly executed in favor of the wife of a serving policeman. The deed, according to the petitioner, covers the boundaries of his land and has raised concerns about coercion and misuse of power.

The Lucknow Bench, comprising Justice Sangeeta Chandra and Justice Brijraj Singh, further ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Gomti Nagar, to submit the investigation report through a personal affidavit. The matter is scheduled for the next hearing on September 24.

Case Background

The petitioner’s lawyer, Aviral Jaiswal, informed the court that Mr. Sharma had purchased a total of 2,250 square feet of land in Khargapur in two phases, during 2004 and 2008. However, since 2018, a man named Salim had been attempting to evict the petitioner from the property.

Despite repeated complaints to senior officials, the situation worsened when on November 2, 2020, a group of people arrived to forcibly occupy the land. The petitioner’s son sought police assistance, but instead of protecting them, the then Khargapur outpost in-charge allegedly pressured the family to sell the land to the very group attempting eviction.

The case took a more serious turn when Awadhesh Singh, posted at Gomti Nagar police station at that time, reportedly threatened the petitioner’s son to sell the property, warning that any construction on the land would be demolished. Another officer, Inspector Arvind Pant, was also accused of intimidation.

Despite these threats, the petitioner refused to sell the land. Subsequently, it was alleged that Salim’s father, Mohammad Hanif, executed a property deed in favor of Urmila Singh, wife of Awadhesh Singh. The boundaries marked in this deed coincided with the petitioner’s land, raising serious concerns about fraudulent or coercive tactics.

Allegations Of Inaction By Authorities

The petitioner’s advocates claim that even after lodging complaints, neither the Police Commissioner nor the District Magistrate took adequate steps to protect them.