By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 20 May: In a significant development, the Dehradun district administration has reopened the long-pending case concerning the Faiz Mohammad’s enemy property, in pursuance to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s directive to reclaim such properties across Uttarakhand. City Magistrate Dehradun Pratyush Singh has been tasked with investigating the matter, following strict instructions from the Union Home Ministry for district magistrates to take possession of enemy properties and report back through the state government.
Sources reveal that land mafia from Saharanpur and Dehradun have allegedly targeted the properties registered under Faiz Mohammad’s name, employing forged inheritance documents to make illegal encroachments. It may be reminded here that, historically, very old land revenue documents for Dehradun and Haridwar remain with the Saharanpur Commissionerate, facilitating such fraudulent activities. Former District Magistrate Sonika had previously brought most original documents to Dehradun, in view of the increasing cases of manipulation in the land records by the land mafia in cahoots with some local officials.
The administration’s recent order to vacate the Custodian property, known as Kabul House, has shifted focus to reclaiming government land from those occupying the Faiz Mohammad enemy property. Approximately 70 bighas of land on Turner Road near ISBT and 1,800 bighas in the Majra area have also been identified as enemy properties under Faiz Mohammad’s name, both listed by the Union Home Ministry. City Magistrate Pratyush Singh has conducted site inspections and document verifications as part of the ongoing investigation into the case.
These properties are estimated to be worth billions of rupees. Allegations suggest that individuals from Saharanpur and Muzaffarnagar have illegally settled on this land, with several influential figures believed to be part of the conspiracy.
The Dhami government has received directives from the Home Ministry to take possession of enemy properties and place them under the custody of district magistrates, who can then utilise these properties for public welfare. In line with this, the Metropole Hotel enemy property in Nainital has been vacated, and files for other remaining properties have been retrieved from archives. Enemy properties have also been identified in Haridwar and Kichha, Udham Singh Nagar district.
It may be recalled that in legal and technical parlance, enemy properties are assets left behind by individuals who migrated to Pakistan or other countries during the partition of India or subsequent conflicts and acquired citizenship there. The central government, through ordinances issued on 10 September 1959, and 18 December 1971, declared such properties enemy property. The Union Home Ministry has now intensified efforts to take possession of these properties, initiating legal actions against those occupying them illegally.
A recent survey by the Home Ministry had identified approximately 12,611 enemy properties across the country, valued at around Rs 1 lakh crore. Of these, 12,485 belonged to owners who migrated to Pakistan during partition, and 126 to those who became Chinese citizens. In Uttarakhand, 4 such enemy properties have been identified, and the state government has launched a campaign to free them from illegal encroachments. Between 2018 and 2022, the Central Government realised Rs 3,407.98 crores from the properties of 152 enemy companies, including Rs 2,708.9 crores from shares, gold, and other assets, and Rs 699.08 crores under revenue and other heads.
This renewed focus on reclaiming enemy properties is part of a broader anti-encroachment initiative across Uttarakhand. The state has witnessed significant actions, including the demolition of unauthorised structures and the removal of illegal occupants from government lands. These efforts aim to restore public lands for legitimate use and prevent unlawful encroachments that have persisted for decades.
