Patna: The Patna high court on Friday asked the state chief secretary to ensure payment of Rs 2 lakh as interim compensation to a Nawada resident whose house was demolished through unauthorised bulldozer action, while administrative and police officers remained “mute spectators”.The court also ruled that an order for “delivery of possession” of land cannot be interpreted as legal authorisation to demolish any house or structure standing on it.A single bench of Justice Raj Kumar passed the order while allowing a decade-old writ petition filed by Birendra Kumar, a resident of Nawada town. The court directed the chief secretary to appoint a senior officer, other than the Magadh divisional commissioner and Nawada DM, to assess the total compensation and pay the amount after adjusting the Rs 2 lakh interim payment.In its 34-page verdict, the high court relied on a recent judgment in the case of Asharfi Yadav, which equated the illegal demolition of a house with “Brahma Hatya” (a grave sin).The case arose from a land dispute decided by Nawada deputy collector land reforms (DCLR) on Dec 12, 2015. The DCLR held Birendra’s possession of his three-decimal plot in Nawada town to be illegal.Birendra appealed against the order before the Magadh divisional commissioner in Gaya. However, without waiting for the appeal’s outcome, the DCLR directed him to vacate the land.On Jan 13, 2016, Nawada circle officer arrived with around 80 police personnel to remove Birendra from the property. The house was subsequently demolished using bulldozers by Nagar Parishad Nawada personnel.
