TMC MP Yusuf Pathan moves Gujarat High Court against land encroachment notice

Ahmedabad: The newly elected Trinamool Congress MP from Baharampur in West Bengal and former cricketer Yusuf Pathan has approached Gujarat High Court challenging the municipal corporation's notice asking him to remove the encroachment from the government plot. He has contended that the civic body issued the notice without giving him any show cause notice or opportunity to put his case.

The land, an open residential plot, is located next to his bungalow at Tandalja near Aangan society. In 2012, he had approached the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) to allot the plot to him at market price "considering the security of the petitioner and his family, since he is an international cricketer." Since 2012, the plot remained in his possession which he cordoned off by constructing a compound wall.

While adjourning the matter for further hearing on Friday, the single bench of justice Sangeeta Vishen said that the court was not willing to entertain the writ petition. The court opined citing the records that Pathan didn't have the right to claim ownership over the land in question as it was never allotted to him.

Before knocking the court's door, Pathan also made a representation to the chief minister, who is also a respondent in the petition, requesting him to allot the plot on payment of upset price "considering his need and his brother's as both are internationally acclaimed celebrities."

During the hearing, when Pathan's lawyer Yatin Oza mentioned that he received the notice to vacate the land barely two days after the election result, the court restricted him to mention anything political.

Pathan has contended that the valuation committee of the VMC decided a minimum upset price and a proposal was sent to the general meeting from where it was sent to Urban Development and Urban Housing Department, Gandhinagar for approval. In 2014, the approval was rejected but, according to Pathan, this was never communicated to him, his lawyers argued in the court.

He has told the court that the land in question is an open plot which he cordoned off by building a compound wall for security purpose "as the petitioner and his brother (Irfan Pathan, another ex Indian cricketer-turned- commentator) are well-acclaimed sportsmen and fans come to their place often, which creates security issue for them and their guests who are usually sportsman or celebrities visiting Vadodara or nearby cities."