Vadodara Municipal Corporation to reclaim land near TMC MP Yusuf Pathan’s house following HC ruling

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation is set to take possession of the land adjacent to Tandalja house belonging to former cricketer and Trinamool Congress MP Yusuf Pathan.

This comes after a controversy stirred following accusations that Pathan had occupied the land illegally. The world cup winning player had moved Gujarat High Court after the civic body sent him a notice regarding the plot.

However, the Gujarat HC has turned down the petition challenging the notice to vacate a 978 square metre plot adjacent to his home.

The HC said that the MP was found to be an “encroacher” of the land and that “strict action in accordance with the law” is expected from the VMC.

Pathan had asked for the plot from the VMC to build a stable in 2012. The VMC passed a resolution drawing a valuation of the plot at Rs 57,270 per square metre to sell the plot to him without an auction. However, in 2014, state govt rejected the VMC’s proposal to allot the plot to Pathan but remained in his possession.

In June 2024, after Pathan was elected as the MP of the Baharampur constituency in West Bengal, one of the VMC councillors raised an objection to Pathan’s possession of the plot. Following this, the VMC issued a notice to him to vacate the plot.The HC rejected Pathan’s argument that he tried to make payment for the land and said, “The petitioner simply enjoyed the plot in question without there being any right over it.”The HC added, “In the opinion of this court, the petitioner shall not be permitted to remain in the occupation of the plot in question, which he has encroached (upon).”

The court, however, rejected the VMC’s request to impose a fine on Pathan.