Home / Crime and Justice / PWD Loses Land Battle: Court Orders Possession Transfer
PWD Loses Land Battle: Court Orders Possession Transfer
2 Sep
Summary
- Court ordered PWD to transfer nearly 10 bighas of land.
- Land valued at approximately ₹50 crore was returned to its owner.
- PWD failed to prove legal acquisition of the disputed property in 1947.
A civil court in Bijnor has ruled that the Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) must relinquish possession of nearly 10 bighas of prime land, estimated to be worth ₹50 crore. The PWD had long claimed ownership of the site, where it operated a department store for decades.
The legal dispute originated when the PWD filed a suit asserting government acquisition of the property in 1947. However, official records consistently listed the land under Saeed Ahmad, who later sold it to Lalit Kumar Agarwal in 2006.
Despite years of litigation, the PWD could not substantiate its claim with adequate proof. Advocate Mukesh Bhatnagar, representing Agarwal, argued that the PWD's assertions lacked legal basis and statutory compliance. The court found that the government had never lawfully acquired the site, leading to the judgment favoring Agarwal and mandating immediate handover of the property.
