The Ghaziabad municipal company carried out a significant demolition drive within the metropolis’s Kaila Bhatta space behind the New Bus Adda Metro station on Monday, liberating up 23,000 sq. metres of presidency land allegedly encroached upon by a former councillor, officers conscious of the matter mentioned on Monday.
Within the case of alleged encroachment, the company filed a primary data report against former councillor Haji Khaleel Ahmad, who served as a councillor from Kaila Bhatta from 1995 to 2005. The company claims that Khaleel profited financially from renting out encroached land.
A masjid and a madrasa have been additionally situated on the encroached land, although they weren’t demolished.
“The demolition drive passed off on Monday. The madrasa and the masjid weren’t affected by the drive. We now have registered an FIR against a former councillor in regards to the encroachment of over 23,000 sqm of land. The freed-up land is value ₹50 crore,” mentioned Nitin Gaur, Ghaziabad municipal commissioner.
The company used earthmoving machines to demolish the buildings whereas officers and workers from the company have been current.
The deputy commissioner of police (DCP), Nipun Agarwal, mentioned that the police made satisfactory safety preparations as a result of Kaila Bhatta is densely populated and most of its residents are from minority communities.
“The FIR against the former councillor has been registered primarily based on a grievance given by the company. Investigation is underway, and no arrest has occurred to date,” DCP Agarwal added.
The FIR against Haji Khaleel is registered underneath Indian Penal Code’s Part 447 (legal trespass) and underneath the provisions of the Prevention of Injury to Public Property Act at Kotwali police station.
Haji Khaleel has denied any involvement within the encroachment and claims that he’s solely related to 750 sq. yards of land in his father’s title.
“In 2017, I used to be appointed as a supervisor of a registered committee operating the madrasa and different institutions on the land, such because the masjid and parking house. Farukh, the committee’s chairperson, who goes by his first title, used to gather hire from a few of the godowns on the land and had requested me to do the identical. Nevertheless, I refused to take action and determined to shut the madrasa and a junior highschool. In 2021, I stepped down from the supervisor place as a result of I used to be against the malpractices,” he advised HT final Saturday, including that the Indian railways served three notices to the committee to vacate the land in 2022.
He mentioned he had submitted all three railway notices and the committee doc to company officers.
“Indignant at these developments, Farukh not too long ago filed a grievance against me, alleging that I encroached on the land. The company is free to take their land, and I play no function in any encroachment,” Khaleel added.
The DCP mentioned, “An investigation is underway, and the function of different folks may also be investigated.”
