After probe indicts judicial officer, HC shifts NRI’s suit from Samrala to Ludhiana court

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) has ordered transfer of a land dispute case between a Non-resident Indian (NRI) and brother of a senior Akali leader to Ludhiana district court from Samrala.

The development comes in the wake of a high court probe indicting the judicial officer, who was hearing the matter.

“… (The officer) while dealing with the case of the complainant (NRI) either negligently or deliberately passed contrary and wrong orders and the officer was not diligent while dealing with aforesaid case,” the report prepared by inquiry officer-cum OSD (vigilance), Haryana, says as per case transfer order passed by the bench of justice, HS Madaan.

The NRI, Sucha Singh, had approached high court in 2018 seeking transfer of case from the court of additional civil judge ( senior division) Munish Garg to some other court in Chandigarh or Haryana.

The court did not agree to transfer the case outside the district but asked the court of civil judge (senior division), Ludhiana, to expedite the hearings. There are at least seven such cases pending before the Samrala court. The NRI and Ajmer Singh, brother of former Akali minister, Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, have been locked in a land dispute for years now and the NRI had alleged that the Singh in collusion with the local police, administration and presiding officers of the court was trying to influence the judicial proceedings.

The NRI, who has been living in the United States of America (USA) for thirty years, had appointed a general power of attorney holder, who allegedly executed the land deals with Ajmer Singh and others between 2004 and 05. The NRI has claimed that he never authorised the land deals. There is no valid reason for the petitioner to sell his land at such a low price of ₹4.5 lakh per acre when the market price of the land in question is about ₹15 lakh per acre, he had argued before the court. Disputed land measured 12 acres.

Ajmer Singh had appeared before the high court and denied the allegations and had told the court that the cases have since been transferred from the court of Garg to other courts at Samrala. Singh had also claimed that the NRI was instrumental in executing the deal but later backed out.