Jamuni's disputed land: Court upheld DM's decision to impose

The District and Sessions Court in Darjeeling today upheld the District Magistrate's decision to impose Section 144 of the CrPc on a 13-acre land in Jamuni following landowners' complaint that the GTA Sabha had forcibly taken over their plots.
"Judge Uday Kumar Yadav upheld the DM's decision to impose Section 144 on a 13-acre plot in Jamuni. Dawa Lepcha, GTA executive sabha member in charge of tourism department, had filed a revision against the DM's order in the court on May 30," Public Prosecutor Pranay Rai said.
DM Puneet Yadav had clamped Section 144 of the CrPc on the land on April 28 for two months.

Nine land holders had alleged that GTA chief executive Bimal Gurung had taken over their 13 acres of land without their consent to develop a tourist destination and had not paid them compensation till date.
Lepcha had filed the revision on May 30 and the court had then passed an interim order staying the prohibitory order till the case was heard.
Lepcha said that the GTA would abide by the court's order but hinted at the possibility of approaching a higher court on the matter.
"We, however, believe that this issue has been politicised," he said referring to the Trinamool Congress's support to the landowners.

The GTA has maintained that the land losers had willingly given their plots and that there was no question of forcibly taking over the land.