Gujarat Agriculture Minister Babu Bokhiria, in his affidavit filed before the High Court today, denied the allegations of encroachment on government land.
He had followed the laws while purchasing his lands, he said.
A division bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala had directed the minister to file an affidavit in response to a public interest litigation filed by Porbandar-based activist Natwar Karavadra.
Bokhiria said in the affidavit that he purchased 3,000 vighas of land following a state government notification for its sale.
According to the petitioner, Bokhirial bought land in his and his relatives' names in Porbandar district and encroached upon public roads and government properties by building walls on such lands. As per the petitioner, he grabbed a piece of land in Chhaya Nagarpalika area of Porbandar.
Bokhiria's affidavit said he had not built any wall but a cement company had constructed a wall after acquiring the land in Chhaya Nagarpalika area.
Bokhiria and three others have been convicted and sentenced to three years's jail term by a Porbandar court for illegal limestone mining but the sessions court stayed the ruling.
