MP HC pulls up Defence ministry for forcible possession of century-old disputed property

Indore: The Madhya Pradesh High Court has criticised the Defence Ministry for its “wholly illegal” act of forcibly taking possession of a 132-year-old disputed property from two elderly sisters without adhering to due legal procedures.

In an order of May 13, the Indore Bench of the High Court presided by Justice Pranay Verma said the manner in which the defence estate officer seized the approximately 1.8-acre property situated in MHOW, Indore, “defies all canons of law”.

The order came in an appeal filed by Ann Chandiramani, 84, and Aruna Rodrigues, 79, who were challenging an April 2024 order from an appellate court that had rejected their plea for an injunction against dispossession.

As per the plea, a civil court in 2022 had rejected the application seeking declaration of their title over the disputed property and also a declaration that the show cause notice for eviction issued to them by the defence estate officer was null and void.

While the civil court acknowledged the sisters' failure to prove their title, it recognised their possession of the property and their right to its occupation.

A day after the civil court rejected their application, the defence estate officer took possession of the property without following due process of law and without any order of eviction passed by a court or authority, the sisters alleged.

The High Court's judgment took note of the "forcible possession" that occurred within a mere 24 hours of the civil court's decision.

"It is evident that the defendants (Defence personnel) did not afford a breathing time of even 24 hours to the plaintiffs (sisters) to approach the appellate court and seek interim order in their favour," the HC observed.

The bench highlighted the long-standing nature of the property dispute, spanning nearly 30 years, and said "heavens would not have fallen" had the sisters been granted reasonable time to seek legal recourse.

"The manner in which the defendants have taken possession of the disputed property is wholly illegal and defies all canons of law," the HC remarked.

It is evident that the defence estate officer was "bent up and premeditated" to deprive the sisters of appealing against the trial court order, Justice Verma said.

"Such an attitude on part of the defendants is most unfortunate and cannot be countenanced," HC said.

The bench directed the defence estate officer to restore status quo and deliver possession of the disputed property to the sisters and thereafter not to interfere with the same or create any third-party interest.

In their plea, the sisters claimed that the property was purchased by their predecessors in November 1892.

In July 1995, the Defence ministry issued a notice to the sisters under the provisions of Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, seeking documents of title of the disputed property.

They were also directed to stop construction on the property and were issued a show cause notice for eviction by the Defence Estate Officer.

The sisters replied to the notice and in 1997, filed a suit in the civil court.