HC raps Defence Ministry for forcefully taking possession of century-old disputed property

Madhya Pradesh : High Court has strongly criticised the Ministry of Defence for its “completely illegal” act of forcibly taking possession of a 132-year-old disputed property from two elderly sisters without following due process of law. In the judgment delivered on May 13, Justice Pranay Verma of the Indore Bench said the manner in which the defence estate officer seized the property measuring about 1.8 acres in Mhow, Indore “defies all principles of law.” The judgment came in response to an appeal filed by N Chandiramani, 84, and Aruna Rodrigues, 79, who had challenged an appellate court order passed in April 2024, dismissing their request for an injunction against eviction. According to the appellants, a civil court in 2022 had dismissed their application for quashing the eviction notice issued by the defence estate officer and for declaration of title. However, the court acknowledged that the sisters were in possession of the property and had a right to occupy it.