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Provide force to demolish illegal structure on DDA land: HC to

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Press Trust of India New Delhi
The Delhi High Court today asked the city police to provide adequate force to DDA when it seeks the same for demolishing illegal structure built on its land at I P Extension here.

Justice V K Shali noted that as Delhi Development Authority (DDA) intends to demolish the illegal construction, the police shall provide adequate force once the land-owning body requests for the same three days in advance.

The court passed the order after it was informed by DDA today that despite its order to maintain status quo, further unauthorized construction was carried out on the authority's land at I P Extension.
 

The authority also alleged the people who built the unauthorised structure, a small room which has been dubbed as a temple, have also "mischievously" planted trees in the area.

Delhi Police, represented by advocate Zubeda Begum, on the other hand, claimed that earlier when it had provided adequate force on DDA's request, the authority had written to it on October 30 that they have decided to defer the demolition.

Begum also said an FIR has been lodged on December 1.

DDA counsel Rajeev Bansal contended the authenticity of the October 30 letter has to be verified. He also claimed DDA was not informed whether FIR was lodged as a copy of the same has not been provided to it.

Bansal said DDA intends to demolish the structure on its land soon as "state largesse cannot be frittered away".

After hearing both sides, the court asked the Delhi Police to file its counter affidavits and listed the matter for further hearing on January 30, 2015.

The status quo order shall also continue, it said.

The court was hearing DDA's plea alleging police "facilitated and supported" illegal construction on the authority's land at I P extension here by neither lodging an FIR nor giving adequate force to help demolish it.

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First Published: Dec 08 2014 | 5:41 PM IST

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