The Allahabad High Court has imposed a hefty fine of Rs 10 lakh on the state government and the Catholic Diocese of Gorakhpur for manipulating documents to occupy a farmer’s land for 32 years.
The court has directed both parties to deposit the fine amount in the execution court within three months.
The court emphasized that justice must prevail regardless of the consequences, citing the saying, “Justice serves even if the sky falls,” while delivering the verdict.
Additionally, the court noted that the state and the appellant organization colluded to seize petitioner Bhola’s land, with the entire state machinery, from the district level to the secretariat, involved in the act.
Successive alterations to official documents deprived the petitioner and his heirs of their rightful use of the immovable property.
Justice Kshitij Shailendra delivered this judgment while dismissing an appeal filed by the Catholic Diocese of Gorakhpur through its president.
Case Background
The case involves a plot of land (number 26, measuring 93 decimals) in Jungle Salikram village of Gorakhpur, which the petitioner Bhola legally owned.
The Catholic Diocese of Gorakhpur claimed to have received a lease for the land from the state government and began constructing a boundary wall.
In response, Bhola filed a civil suit to reclaim his land.
After failing to secure relief from the civil court, Bhola filed a first appeal, which was accepted.
The court ordered the removal of the boundary wall and instructed that no interference should occur with Bhola’s possession.
The court also declared the lease deed registered on 13 January 1993 before the Sub-Registrar I, Gorakhpur, as null and void.
The Diocese, through its president, then filed a second appeal in the High Court.
However, the High Court upheld the lower court’s ruling, stating that there were no legal errors in the previous decision.
The court has directed the execution court to complete the decree implementation within six months.
