Tribunal dismisses petition of former J&K deputy CM’s wife on controversial bungalow
Tribunal dismisses petition against demolition of illegal bungalow, imposes ₹10 lakh fine for contempt of court and perjury involving falsehood and fraud.
Imposes ₹10 lakh fine for serious misconduct involving criminal contempt of court and perjury
A special tribunal on Monday dismissed the petition filed against demolition of a palatial bungalow allegedly constructed by former deputy chief minister Dr Nirmal Singh’s Mamta Singh in violation of building laws at Ban in Nagrota, a restricted green area demarcated as such in the Jammu Master Plan 2032.
Member of the special tribunal Jammu, Asif Hamid Khan, in the order also reprimanded, passed strictures and imposed a fine of ₹10 lakh on Mamta Singh for serious misconduct involving criminal contempt of court and perjury for getting favourable orders by taking shelter of falsehood, misrepresentation/suppression of facts and fraud.
It further said the construction of the residential house in question is a deliberate act of defiance of the rule of law.
“The appeal filed before the tribunal thereafter on false grounds tantamount to the abuse of process of court,” the tribunal observed.
Notably, the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) had ordered demolition of the “illegally” constructed bungalow of former deputy chief minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader (BJP) Dr Nirmal Singh at Ban village in Nagrota on the outskirts of Jammu.
A notice in this regard had been issued by JDA’s building operations controlling authority to Nirmal Singh and his wife Mamta Singh, who is owner of the land on which the “illegal” bungalow has been constructed without valid permission from the competent authority as prescribed under law.
Mamta Singh approached the special tribunal to invalidate the JDA notice in an appeal and the then Special Tribunal bench while pending decision, directed the parties to maintain status quo on spot till the next date of hearing and later set aside the JDA notice on technical grounds with a liberty to JDA to proceed afresh in the matter in accordance with law.
Subsequently, the JDA on July 28 last year issued a fresh demolition notice to Mamta Singh, which she again challenged. The fresh appeal was preferred by her before the Special Tribunal, which has been dismissed and imposed a fine ₹10 lakh.