Bailable warrant against JDA officials in Rajmahal Palace land row

JAIPUR: A lower court on Friday issued bailable warrants against five Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) officials, including former commissioner Shikhar Agarwal, for forcibly taking possession of the disputed land around Sujan

Rajmahal Palace

hotel on August 28. The other officials against whom bailable warrants were issued included former

JDA

secretary Pawan Arora, SP JDA Rahul Jain, Deputy Commissioner Zone-1 Vishnu Kumar Goyal and Enforcement officer

Ved Prakash Goyal

on a petition by Narayan Singh, the power of attorney holder of hotel owner Padmanabh Singh.

The

Jaipur Metropolitan Court

(No 11), while taking cognizance against the officials under different sections of IPC, including wrongful restraint (341), mischief causing damage (427), criminal trespass (447), criminal intimidation (506), public servants framing incorrect documents (167 and criminal conspiracy (120b), summoned the five officials against bailable

warrant

of Rs 20,000 each on November 25.

The order said a competent court had issued decree in favour of the petitioner on November 24, 2011 and the JDA was restrained from creating hurdles to the petitioner in appropriating the property. The JDA had not obtained any stay order from higher court against the decree of 2011 and forcefully entered the property on August 28 and demolished servant quarters and other constructions there. The officials also sealed the gates of the property, making it inaccessible to the petitioner. They also resorted to criminal intimidation of the witnesses, the court noted.

The court said the accused were aware of the decree of 2011 and knowingly violated it, which makes their crime more serious. The court asked if a public servant does not respect a court decree, what is its relevance.