Cong delegations meets Punjab governor, seek legal action over Khaira property demolition

Chandigarh: A delegation of Congress leaders on Monday met Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria, alleging illegal demolition of private property belonging to Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira and seeking strict legal action against the police and civil administration officers involved.The delegation comprised Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, MLA and former leader of opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira, deputy leader of opposition Aruna Chaudhary, and former speaker Rana K P Singh.
In a representation to the governor, the leaders alleged that a boundary wall of Khaira's private property, located at Ramgarh village in Kapurthala district, was demolished without due process. They described the action as illegal and in violation of the principles of natural justice. The delegation stated that since the formation of the present govt in March 2022, Khaira actively opposed what they termed anti-people and anti-Punjab policies of the AAP govt, both inside and outside the Punjab legislative assembly. They alleged that this led to the registration of five FIRs against Khaira and his supporters over the past four years, which they described as false and frivolous. They pointed out that Khaira was earlier arrested in a nine-year-old NDPS Act case in which the Supreme Court quashed his summoning order. According to the representation, when he was to be granted regular bail in that case, Khaira was again arrested from Nabha jail. The NDPS case was subsequently stayed by the Supreme Court on April 10, 2024. The delegation alleged that on Feb 23, a contingent of 400-500 police personnel, along with senior officers including Kapurthala SSP Gaurav Toora, Bholath DSP Karnail Singh, Bholath SHO Ranjit Singh, and Nadala BDPO Kulwinder Singh Randhawa, reached Khaira's ancestral house at 8am to demolish what officials described as illegal structures raised on public property. According to the representation, documents of ownership were shown to the officers at the spot. The leaders alleged that no notice was served on Khaira prior to the demolition, and no opportunity for a personal hearing was given. The memorandum also alleged that BDPO Randhawa, who was tasked with carrying out the demolition, is named in two FIRs, including FIR No 37 dated August 9, 2024, at vigilance bureau police station in Patiala under Sections 409 and 120B of the IPC and sections 13(1) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. It was also stated that he was suspended in another case involving alleged misappropriation of govt funds amounting to Rs 41 lakh. The delegation claimed that despite Khaira being present at the site and seeking to see any notice served in accordance with the law, no such document was produced. They stated that a portion of the boundary wall was demolished using a JCB machine. The incident was live-streamed on social media, they added. The leaders further stated that Khaira's ancestral house falls within the lal dora of Ramgarh and his family had been in continuous possession of the land for over 200 years. In their representation, the Congress leaders alleged that the action violated the principles of natural justice, as well as recent guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court regarding demolition actions, which prescribe a notice period of 15 days followed by another 15 days to enable affected parties to seek legal remedies. They also alleged that provisions of the Punjab Common Lands Act, 1961, were not followed. Describing the demolition as high-handed and without due process, the delegation urged the governor to ensure strict legal action against the officers concerned in accordance with the Supreme Court's judgment, and sought compensation for the alleged loss of reputation and mental agony suffered by Khaira.