NRI alleges illegal dispossession of long-held tenanted shops

An NRI, Madan Mohan Bajaj, has lodged a complaint with the Additional Director General of Police (NRI Affairs), Punjab, alleging illegal trespass, forcible dispossession, theft, and damage to property at his long-held tenanted shops located on Banga Road here.

According to the complaint, Bajaj, a permanent resident of the United States of America (USA), had been in peaceful and lawful possession of the shops for nearly five decades, having taken them on rent in 1975 from the original owner, late Bakshish Kaur. He stated that rent was regularly paid to the landlady during her lifetime and subsequently to her legal heirs, with whom, he claims, there had never been any dispute.

The complainant alleged that around two weeks ago, three individuals — Parminder Singh, alias Parminder Brar, Tarun Bhandari, and Amit Khurana — approached shops, along with unidentified associates, claiming their ownership and allegedly pressurised him and his son to vacate the property. Bajaj stated that when threats were issued, he sought legal protection by filing a civil suit for permanent injunction, which was currently pending before a local court in Phagwara.

In his complaint to the ADGP, Bajaj further alleged that on December 24, the accused persons forcibly entered shops in his absence, broke open existing locks, installed their own locks, and damaged CCTV cameras installed inside and outside the premises. He also accused them of stealing fixtures, fittings, important documents including sale deeds and bank records, and Rs 50,000 in cash reportedly kept in a shop after recent bank withdrawal.

Bajaj maintained that the electricity connection of shops was active and all dues had been regularly paid, reinforcing his claim of continuous possession of the property. He sought police intervention for restoration of shops possession, recovery of allegedly stolen articles and cash, and initiation of strict legal action against those named in the complaint.

Bajaj said a copy of the complaint was also submitted to the Phagwara SP. The matter is now under consideration at the office of the ADGP (NRI Affairs), Punjab. No official response from the accused or the police authorities was received at the time of filing this report.