HC asks Gonda DM to inquire into demolition of school building

The Allahabad High Court today directed the district magistrate of Gonda to inquire into the demolition of a government primary school building in front of the bungalow of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

The Lucknow bench of the high court directed the district magistrate to file an affidavit on July 2 after making inquiry into all aspects such as under which circumstances and by whose order the building was demolished.

A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Abdul Moin passed the order on a PIL moved by Rana Pratap Singh.

The petitioner alleged that it was demolished to provide a large space to the parliamentarian in front of his house, in collusion with education authorities and the village pradhan.

The claim that the school building was demolished because it was dilapidated was not correct, the petitioner said.

A new building for the school has been constructed over a private land, the petitioner claimed.

The bench said, "At present we do not have specific information as to under whose orders the school building was demolished and as to under whose orders new school building was constructed at a plot, which belongs to a private person. The matter appears to be serious and if the facts alleged in the petition are found to be correct, then it requires to be seriously taken note of and appropriate action be taken against the erring officials who may have got the building demolished, in order to facilitate a huge piece of land in front of the house of the MP, as averred in the petition.