Partition-hit family’s legal battle stretches on

A Patiala-based family’s legal battle has brought forth the wounds of Partition.

Petitioner Kamal Ahmad said his family member, Ghulam Mohammad lived in Patiala’s Jhil village before 1947. During Partition, the family left for Malerkotla, which had considerable Muslim population and witnessed no bloodshed.

After the conditions improved, Ghulam Mohammad along with his daughter Kaneez Fatima returned to Jhil village and found that the government had sold their land (around 20 acres).

In 1980, Kaneez Fatima knocked at door of the Revenue Department to obtain the record related to the land and filed a petition in a local court in 2004. Though Fatima passed away in 2008, the lower court ruled in the family’s favour in 2014.

The administration appealed to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which upheld the lower court’s decision. The case then proceeded to the Supreme Court, which ruled in favour of the aggrieved family in 2023. The apex court directed the district administration to return equivalent land or compensate them at the current market rate.

Four months ago, the lower court ordered the attachment of vehicles of the Deputy Commissioner and the District Development and Panchayat Officer.

It also ordered the attachment of air conditioners, fans, chairs, tables, water coolers and cupboards of the DC, Divisional Commissioner and SDM’s offices.

Acting on these orders, the court team arrived at the DC office today to execute the order.

Initially, officials of the DC office directed the team and petitioners to Block D that houses worn out items. However, the court team refused to attach those items.

The police officers, who arrived there to mediate in the matter, left after going through the court order.

ADC Isha Singhal then discussed the issue with the court team, which granted time to the administration till April 21.