‘Abusing process of law’ costs man ₹5L

A Noida man was saddled with ₹5 lakh as cost by the Supreme Court, which dismissed his plea demanding more compensation in lieu of his land acquired for public purpose and said his petition was a “gross abuse of process of law.”

A bench headed by justice Arun Mishra dismissed the man’s appeal against the Allahabad high court that rejected his move challenging the compensation given to him by the authorities for the land acquired.

The bench took the view that the Supreme Court had already decided the legal questions raised in the petition, while upholding the land acquisition. Pursuant to the verdict, the authorities fixed the compensation money, it noted. “Judges of Supreme Court have sat for two months and settled this issue. This is misuse of law. What is this going on? We will impose such a cost on you that people of this country will remember,” the bench told the lawyer, who said the HC wrongly dismissed his client’s case.

Initially, the bench was inclined to impose ₹25 lakh as cost, but reduced the amount after the counsel prayed for leniency on the grounds that the petitioner was a poor farmer. “We know everything. Do you want us to comment on the compensation these people have got after our verdict? Everybody has become crorepati...,” the bench observed, asking the petitioner to deposit the amount with the SC Bar Association Welfare Fund for Advocates in two months.

The petitioner’s land was acquired in 2007, which he challenged unsuccessfully. The SC in May 2005 declared the acquisition valid. He resorted to another round of litigation after he was given a supplementary award.