Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government is all set to free and acquire over 100 bigha land belonging to Pakistan’s first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan and his family in Muzaffarnagar district.
Before leaving for Pakistan, Khan and his family members had given this land in Yusufpur village on Bhopa Road in the district to one Lala Raghuraj Swarup for farming (batai). Ideally, the land should have been handed over to the government after the Zamindar Act was abolished but Lala Raghuraj Swarup continued to encroach upon the precious land.
Khan had served as a member of Provincial Legislative Council between 1926 and 1940 and his uncle Rustam Ali Khan was a Zamindar in Muzaffarnagar. Old-timers in Muzaffarnagar say that half of present-day Muzffarnagar belonged to Khan and his family.
After the death of Lala Raghuraj Swarup, his sons Alok Swarup, Anil Swarup and daughters Lalita, Kusum and others allegedly got their names registered in revenue records to continue their possession over the land.
The ADM Sadar Deepak Kumar said that a dispute was on between the revenue department and descendants of Lala Raghuraj Swarup over the ownership of the land for the past many years. “When we checked the records it was found that their father’s name was recorded as a farmer only. The family has no title deed etc,” said the ADM.
Acting on the state government’s direction to initiate action against land mafias, the district administration issued notices to them. “Neither they replied to the notices nor submitted any records to prove their claim on the title of the land,” pointed Kumar.
“After their failure to produce any records, we have issued orders directing Tehsildar to get the land vacated and handed over to the state government,” said the ADM.
“We will not only get the government land vacated from illegal occupants but also initiate action against them,” said Selva J, the District Magistrate.
Alok Swarup, son of Late Lala Raghuraj Swarup said that the order was passed without giving them any opportunity to hear. He claimed to have all documents to prove their title and possession on the land in question.
Earlier, an attempt was made by four persons, claiming to be descendants of Liaquat Ali Khan, to stake their claim on nearly half of Muzaffarnagar in 2015. Their claim was, however, rejected by then DM and revenue officials.
