HC asks DM to submit details of encroachment near Jalla temple

PATNA: The Patna high court on Wednesday directed the the district magistrate to file a detailed counter affidavit in personal capacity furnishing information about all the encroachment cases going on in and around Jalla Hanuman temple in Patna City.
Hearing a PIL filed by one Gaurav Kumar Singh for protecting and preserving the Jalla Hanuman temple and free the area from encroachment, the division bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice S Kumar directed the DM to furnish detail about the action taken so far to remove the encroachments.
Earlier, while hearing this PIL, the high court had come to know that 15 bigha government land had been allegedly grabbed by two persons, Vasudev Sahay Verma and Ranjeet Kumar Sinha, who had got its mutation done in their names and even built houses over it.
The administration then took action to cancel both mutations and remove encroachments before reclaiming the land.
The court was apprised in a counter affidavit filed on behalf of the DM that notices were issued to the two persons and their mutations had been cancelled.
Another counter affidavit was submitted by the Patna Sadar circle officer, apprising the court about fencing work on the vacant land and action taken against those who had encroached it.
However, the court was not satisfied and sought a detailed reply while fixing October 27 as the next date of hearing.