A new legal event has unfolded in Gautam Buddha Nagar, where after hearing the complaint, the Chief Judicial Magistrate has directed for a first investigation into an alleged soil theft case involving Rs 20 lakh. The case, initiated by the local lawyer Balraj Bhati, accuses District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma and Railway Board Chairperson Jaya Varma Sinha and other officials.
Balraj Bhati alleges that he owns 10 hectares of land in Chamarawali Ramgarh village, and his father and cousin are the co-owners of the land. The Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) Railway was unable to acquire 4 hectares out of the total 20 hectares between 2018 and 2021. Bhati claims that due to the construction of New Bodaki Railway Junction and residential flats, the access to water sources on the remaining land has been hindered.
On August 21, 2024, Bhati came to know that the DFC Railway officials had allegedly set up a secret gate and ramp on his property and decamped with Rs 20 lakh worth of soil. This soil was used in the construction of the New Bodaki Junction; according to the information available, it reduced Bhati’s fields to a state where they could not be cultivated any more due to severe erosion.
Bhati filed a complaint to the local police, but after they failed to act after she contacted emergency services, she petitioned the Chief Judicial Magistrate. He sought justice by citing sections of the Indian Citizen Security Code 2023. The court has fixed a date for hearing on October 22 and has sought a report from Dadri police station in this connection.
This case raises concerns with regard to the status of land rights and unlawful activities associated with government activities, as well as questions about the responsibility of officials. Consequently, the consequences for local farmers and government practices might be profound as investigations proceed.
