HC directs Collector to lift attachment of Blue Star land

Kerala High Court today directed the Ernakulam District Collector to take appropriate steps to lift the attachment order on 70 acre of public sector HMT land at nearby Kalamassery sold to Blue Star Realtors Private Ltd in 2008 where it is developing the cyber city project.
Justice Mohammed Mustaque, before whom the petition by Blue Star Realtors, seeking to lift the attachment, came up, granted two months time to the government to take appropriate action.
In 2006, the petitioner company purchased the land for Rs 91 crore from HMT to develop the cyber city and subsequently obtained all licenses and permission for the same.

In line with the central government's policy allowing PSUs facing huge loss to sell their property in public auction, HMT sold 70 acres of its land.
There were several litigations against the deal complaining that the exemption granted to HMT under the provisions of Land Reforms Act cannot be extended to subsequent purchases.
During the pendency of the case, revenue authorities ordered attachment of entire land measuring 70 acres.
The petitioner moved high court seeking exemption from the provisions of Land Reforms Act which was granted by the court with the condition that the property should be used only for industrial purposes. This was upheld subsequently by the Supreme Court.

The petitioner complained that despite these judgements, the attachment was continuing and contended that this was 'illegal' and with 'malafide intentions'.