Six received notices to remove alleged encroachments, including former minister of Haryana

Six people, including former Haryana minister Sukhbir Kataria, have been given a notice that they have 15 days to remove an alleged illegal encroachment on about 4 acres of land here that belongs to the urban estate department.

However, Kataria asserted that the land was his ancestral home and had been in his family for the previous 100 years. He also claimed that he was being harassed by the authorities.

Near sector 17-18 road in the revenue estate of the village of Inayatpur (Bechirag), in the Tehsil of Gurugram, is a plot of land worth several crores of rupees.

Mohit Lal Kataria, Chetan Thakran, Sukhbir Kataria, Roshini Dahiya, Kulraj Kataria, and Tilak Raj Kataria, residents of the village of Inayatpur, were given notice to demolish the illegal structure and vacate the property on February 21, according to District Town Planner (Enforcement) Manish Yadav.

‘In reference to the subject matter, it is intimated that the land, approximately 3.822 acres falling in Khasra no. 16//25 of revenue estate of village Inayatpur, [Bechirag], Tehsil Gurugram is in the ownership of Urban Estate Department, Haryana and in possession of Divisional Town Planner, Gurugram.’

‘You have raised unauthorised construction on the aforesaid land and occupied the government land illegally. Therefore, you are directed to demolish the unauthorised construction raised on your land and vacate the government land within 15 days, positively otherwise necessary legal action will be initiated against you as per prevailing Act/Policy,’ read the notice issued by Yadav.

According to a senior DTP department officer, the land was purchased in 1970.

After conducting an investigation, Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav came to the conclusion that the land belongs to the divisional town planner and should be relinquished.

‘On the direction of the deputy commissioner, notices have been issued to the illegal occupants,’ said DTP (E) Manish Yadav.

Sukhbir Kataria claimed that the government was “only harassing him” when contacted.

Kataria served as a minister in Haryana’s second Bhupinder Singh Hooda government (2009–2014).

He added that when he moved the court, the same procedure to take possession of the land also began. The case’s next hearing is scheduled for April 3.

‘This is my ancestral land that has been in the possession of my family for the last 100 years. Earlier, a vigilance inquiry was also conducted and now they have again started a new process, but in fact, this is my parental land and not of the government,’ said Kataria.