Farmer fined Rs 15 lakh over false compensation claim

Kaushik's 4.25 acre land was acquired by Avas Vikas Parishad for Ganga Water Project which handed over a total of 50 acre land to GDA for the Ganga Water Project in 1980.

Ghaziabad, Nov 22 The Allahabad High Court has slapped a fine of Rs 15 lakh on a farmer for misleading the court about not being compensated for his land acquired for Ganga Water Project in Ghaziabad.

Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) law officer Rajendra Tyagi said on Tuesday that Banarsi Dass Kaushik -- a farmer of Prahaladgarhi area -- filed a writ petition in Allahabad High Court in 1982.

Kaushik's 4.25 acre land was acquired by Avas Vikas Parishad for Ganga Water Project which handed over a total of 50 acre land to GDA for the Ganga Water Project in 1980.

The Avas Vikas Parishad made it clear that it had deposited the compensation amount of Rs 80 lakh for Kaushik's land with the Additional District Magistrate (Land Acquisition) but he did not collect it and misled the court.

In his petition, Kaushik claimed that neither the Avas Vikas Parishad or GDA compensated him for the land that was acquired in 1980.

Taking a serious view of the matter, the Allahabad High Court had ordered the Principal Secretary (Housing), GDA Vice Chairman and Commissioner of Avas Vikas Parishad to appear before the court.

The GDA on Tuesday made it clear before the high court that the authority had paid Avas Vikas Parishad Rs 2.66 crore for the acquired land. The farmer has no direct link with GDA and it was a conflict between Avas Vikas Parishad and Kaushik.

After verifying that Kaushik misled the court by hiding the payment-related information, the high court slapped him with az fine of Rs 15 lakh on Tuesday, said GDA official Rajendra Tyagi.

IANS