Nagaram land case: SC upholds Telangana HC verdict in favour of IAS, IPS officers; plea dismissed
Petitioner Beerla Mallesh challenged the High Court ruling in the Supreme Court, disputing the legal purchase of Nagaram lands claimed as Bhoodan lands
By - Sistla Dakshina Murthy
Supreme Court of India (File Photo)
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by Beerla Mallesh challenging the Telangana High Court’s verdict in the Nagaram land dispute, thereby upholding the High Court’s decision in favour of IAS and IPS officers who had purchased the lands.
Petition lacked sufficient evidence
Beerla Mallesh had approached the Supreme Court questioning the High Court’s ruling, which rejected his claims that the lands in the Nagaram area were Bhoodan lands and therefore could not have been legally purchased by senior government officers.
However, the apex court found no merit in the petition and observed that it lacked sufficient evidence to warrant a detailed hearing. The petition was dismissed at the admission stage itself, with the Supreme Court affirming the High Court’s findings.
What is the Nagaram land dispute about?
The controversy centres around lands in Nagaram, which Beerla Mallesh claimed were Bhoodan lands. He alleged irregularities in the purchase of these lands by IAS and IPS officers and sought judicial intervention.
Mallesh initially approached the Telangana High Court by filing a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the land transactions and seeking cancellation of the registrations.
High Court verdict in favour of officers
After hearing the matter, the Telangana High Court ruled in favour of the IAS and IPS officers, holding that the claims made by Beerla Mallesh were unsupported by credible evidence. The court rejected the contention that the lands in question were Bhoodan lands.
Supreme Court endorses High Court ruling
Aggrieved by the High Court verdict, Mallesh filed a special leave petition before the Supreme Court. The apex court, however, concurred with the High Court’s conclusions and dismissed the petition, stating that it did not merit further consideration.
Legal closure to Nagaram land issue
With the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the petition, the High Court verdict has attained finality. Legal experts note that the ruling brings closure to the long-standing Nagaram land dispute, dealing a significant setback to Beerla Mallesh’s legal challenge.
