Supreme Court Warns Maharashtra Government Over Pune Land Acquisition Case

Pune: The Supreme Court has directed the Maharashtra government to take decisive action in a longstanding land acquisition case in Pune, warning that failure to provide appropriate compensation could jeopardize ongoing government schemes.

The bench of Justices Bhushan Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan raised concerns over the state’s handling of compensation, citing the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme during the proceedings.

The dispute dates back to the 1950s when the petitioners' ancestors purchased 24 acres of land in Pune. In 1963, the state government claimed the land as government property, taking possession without providing compensation.

Despite several court rulings, including a Supreme Court decision in favor of the petitioners, compensation remains unpaid.

Advocate Nishant Kotneshwar, representing the government, provided background on the case, noting that the petitioner, an Inamdar, failed to deposit the required Nazarana under the Inams Abolition Act.

This failure led to the government taking control of the land, which was subsequently transferred to the Defense Department for the establishment of an Armament Research Center.

The petitioner’s family has since pursued legal action to reclaim the land or secure fair compensation. Although the government has offered a compensation of INR 37.42 crore, the petitioner argues that this amount is inadequate. The court has now asked the concerned authorities to review the case and provide an appropriate response.

Regarding the court’s reference to the Ladki Bahin scheme, Advocate Kotneshwar clarified that it was part of the legal discourse and did not reflect any direct threat to the scheme’s continuation.