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Synopsis

The Allahabad High Court has taken cognizance of two contempt petitions filed by the Radhasoami Satsang Sabha against the Agra District Administration's demolition action on the Satsang Sabha-owned land. The court, on Friday last week, directed the Standing Counsel to seek instructions in the matter within a month.

The bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal has scheduled the matter for further hearing on December 8, instructing the applicant, Radhasoami Satsang Sabha, to serve a copy of the contempt application upon Standing Counsel IB Singh.

Radhasoami Satsang Sabha, a Religious and Charitable Society headquartered at Dayalbagh, Agra, owns approximately 1500 acres of land in Sikanderpur, Khaspur, Jaganpur, and Ghatwasan villages, Tehsil, and District Agra, with around 1200 acres designated as agricultural land.

In its application before the high court, the Satsang Sabha explained that it had entered into an agreement with the then Government of United Provinces in 1935 to provide water for irrigation purposes to the agricultural lands. A Nahar/canal was constructed, running 3.5 km from the Yamuna River, and the possession and use of the land remained undisputed for 85 years.

The Satsang Sabha alleged that due to pressure from land mafias, the District Administration, Agra, unlawfully constructed a road over certain parts of its land in 2020, followed by an illegal attempt to survey the petitioner's property in 2020. Subsequently, in 2021, the authorities demolished the wall on the Southern boundary of the Western side maintenance track of the Nahar in Khasra Number 330 of Jaganpur without prior notice.

Despite a high court order of status quo, the District Administration demolished the remaining portion of the wall. Further writ petitions were filed in 2023, including for Khasra No. 205, Sikandarpur, Tehsil Sadar, District Agra, where the high court granted an order of status quo.

However, on the early morning of September 23, 2023, the District Administration allegedly demolished the wall and gate of the properties belonging to Radhasoami Satsang Sabha, even those under the protection of the High Court's order of status quo.

Consequently, a contempt application was filed against the District Magistrate and various officers of the District Administration accused of involvement in the illegal demolition of the boundary wall and gate on the properties of Radhasoami Satsang Sabha in Dayalbagh. The court's directive to the Standing Counsel to seek instructions within a month reflects the gravity of the matter, setting the stage for a crucial hearing on December 8.

Case Title: Radhasoami Satsang Sabha Vs. Bhanu Chandra Goswami, D.M. And 7 Others