A court in Bijnor has ordered the Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) to return nearly 10 bighas of prime land, estimated to be worth around ₹50 crore, to its rightful owner. The ruling came after the PWD was unable to demonstrate that it had legally acquired the property following India’s independence in 1947. This decision underscores the importance of proper land acquisition documentation and the legal rights of property owners.
Civil judge (senior division) Sanjeev Kumar Tripathi rejected PWD’s long-standing claim of ownership over the disputed site in Bijnor city, where the department has operated a department store for decades. When PWD learnt of the transaction, it approached the court to assert its rights over the land. Despite years of litigation, the department was unable to present credible documentation to validate its acquisition claim. Finding that the govt had never lawfully acquired the site, the court ruled in favour of Agarwal, ordering PWD to clear the land and hand over immediate possession to the rightful owner.