A court in Kancheepuram district has directed a medical practitioner to pay the price of a 6,540 sq.ft land, he had encroached upon, to the owner or return it to him within two months after demolishing the building constructed on it.
Hugo John Gozmao from Kollam in Kerala had filed a plea contending that the doctor, Dharmalingam, had encroached upon the land in his absence, built a superstructure and let it out to the department of AYUSH (which was under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) in 2013.
Gozmao submitted that when he visited his property, Dharmalingam told him that he required the land and would purchase it at prevailing market price.
The petitioner also said he had agreed to sell the land for Rs 35.97 lakh and entered into an agreement with Dharmalingam.
As per the agreement, Dharmalingam paid Rs 50,000 as advance and promised to pay the balance amount in two months. However, the balance amount was not paid, Gozmao submitted.
The petitioner said he was "forced" to enter into another agreement with Dharmalingam in January 2015, according to which Dharmalingam paid Rs 15 lakh and assured him of paying the balance amount in another two months.
As he did not honour this agreement too, Gozmao moved the district court.
The judge, G Karunanidhi, has directed Dharmalingam to pay the balance amount within two months, failing which he should restore the land in its original condition after demolishing the superstructure and return it to Gozmao.
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