Govt property at Rs 100/yr to Azam's trust: HC seeks UP's response

Lucknow, Apr 18: Allahabad High Court on Saturday, April 18 sought UP government's response on a PIL challenging the alleged leasing of government land and building at Rampur to state minister Azam Khan's private Trust on a nominal rent of Rs 100 per year.

A division bench of Justices Shree Narain Shukla and Rajan Roy passed the order on a PIL filed by Nutan Thakur, a social activist, seeking direction for quashing the allotment order, along with action against officials responsible for it.

The bench directed the UP government counsel to seek instructions from the government and place its response in two weeks.

The petitioner alleged that the allotment of government land and building of Maulana Jauhar Ali Research Institute at Rampur to minorities welfare minister Khan's private Maulana Jauhar Ali Trust was done at an abnormally low annual rent of Rs 100.

On behalf of the state government, Additional Advocate General Bulbul Godiyal opposed the PIL and sought time to seek instructions in this matter from the government.

Accordingly the court provided two weeks and directed to list this matter thereafter, the petitioner said.

PTI