PARAS RAM DANGAL Vs. ESTATE OFFICER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present writ petition has been filed invoking the extraordinary jurisdiction of this Court under Article 226 read with Article 227 of the Constitution of India, seeking the following reliefs:

(2.) The Petitioner Society, established in 1959, is dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the ancient art of wrestling on natural soil. It operates the Akhara =Paras Ram Dangal/Vyamshala', which was founded around 1932 by the esteemed wrestler, the late Guru Chiranji Lal, located at 13, Kudasiya Ghat, Bela Road, Delhi - 110054[Land in dispute.]. Historically significant, the petitioner society has been acclaimed to be instrumental in nurturing several of the nation's celebrated wrestlers.

(3.) The petitioner society was allotted the land in dispute measuring approximately 1,864 Sq. Yards, by virtue of an Indenture of Lease dtd. 7/1/1967, duly registered as No. 9077 in additional Book No. 1, Volume No. 1934, on pages 31 to 34, dtd. 29/11/1967, executed by the President of India through Land and Development Office, New Delhi[L & DO]. The case of the petitioner is that, sometime around 1986, the Government requested the petitioner society to handover certain portion of the land in dispute, i.e., land measuring 1,234 Sq. Yards as the same was required by the Government for construction of ISBT flyover. Subsequently, the petitioner society handed over the portion measuring 1,234 Sq. Yards and the Public Works Department vide letter dtd. 24/2/1988 called upon the petitioner society to collect part compensation cheque in lieu of the acquired land and demolished structure.