Asaram’s plea for land reallocation dismissed

Nainital, February 20

The Uttarkhand High Court on Wednesday dismissed an appeal by jailed “godman” Asaram seeking reallocation of a piece of land in Rishikesh for his ashram, paving the way for the forest department to take over it. The plea seeking reallocation of the land in Muni-ki-Reti area of Rishikesh was rejected by a division bench of the high court. The forest department had issued a notice to Asaram in 2013, asking him to vacate the land in Muni-ki-Reti, where his ashram stands. The department said the 20-year lease for the land had expired in 1970 and had not been renewed ever since.

This eviction order was stayed by the high court. It was later vacated by Justice Manoj Tiwari vide an order dated December 21, 2018.

The complainant, Stephen Dubey, pleaded before the court that the lease for the land could not be renewed as the ashram was performing non-forest activity in a forest area. — PTI