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by IANS |
Ahmedabad, Feb 5 (IANS) The Gujarat High Court on Thursday allowed the state government to resume possession of around 45,000 square metres of land linked to jailed self-styled godman Asaram in Ahmedabad's Motera area, bringing an end to a long-running legal dispute over the property near the Narendra Modi Stadium.
The court upheld the government's decision to reclaim the land, holding that the original conditions of allotment had been violated and that unauthorised constructions raised on the site could not be regularised.
Justice Vaibhavi D. Nanavati delivered the judgment after detailed hearings on petitions filed by the ashram trust, challenging notices issued by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the district administration.
According to the authorities, the land had been allotted decades ago for religious and charitable activities.
Subsequent official inspections, however, found that it was being used for purposes beyond the permitted scope, including commercial activities.
The inquiry also revealed that over 30 structures had been constructed without sanctioned building plans, in breach of municipal and allotment norms.
Civic authorities issued notices to the trust, citing encroachment and non-compliance with conditions. The trust later sought to regularise the constructions by paying an impact fee, but the application was rejected by the competent authority, prompting the legal challenge before the High Court.
In its ruling, the court accepted the state government's submission that the violations were substantive and that the unauthorised structures could not be legalised.
It permitted the authorities to proceed with reclaiming the land and removing the illegal constructions, subject to due process.
Advocate Rajen Jadhav, appearing for the state government, told the court that the land surrounding the Motera stadium was required for planned development in the public interest. "The government intends to integrate this area into upcoming infrastructure projects linked to sports development," he said.
With the legal impediment cleared, officials said the AMC would initiate further action in line with the court's directions, including demolition of unauthorised structures after completing procedural formalities.
The reclaimed land is proposed to be included in the Sardar Patel Sports Enclave, a large-scale sports infrastructure project planned near the Sabarmati riverfront.
The state government has said the area would be developed for modern sports facilities and allied infrastructure as part of preparations for hosting major international sporting events, including the proposed Commonwealth Games in 2030.
Asaram Bapu is currently serving life imprisonment in connection with rape cases.
His ashrams across the country have been under scrutiny by authorities in recent years amid multiple legal cases and allegations of irregularities.
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