Ranchi, Dec 22 (PTI) The Jharkhand High Court has directed the state government to hold accountable all officials responsible for illegal allocation and registry of land within the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) premises, officials said on Monday.
The court ordered that individuals and residents will be duly compensated by the government officials and builders for which they have been evicted and put to trouble.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad passed the order while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Jyoti Sharma.
The court also directed police to register FIRs against government officials who allegedly colluded with builders to encroach upon the hospital’s
land.
The court in its judgment passed on December 20 has observed that the government officials responsible for registration of land should have been more vigilant, which would have saved a lot of residents from being removed from the acquired land of RIMS.
The court expressed dismay and shock that the RIMS also maintained silence while constructions were being made on its premises.
The PIL was filed in 2018 and yet at no time had the hospital informed the court that it’s land had been encroached.
The matter came to light after Jharkhand Legal Services Authority member secretary conducted an inquiry on the directions of the court and informed that 7 acres within the RIMS premises had been encroached.
The high court, after coming to know about encroached land of RIMS, ordered the administration on December 3 to clear all encroachments within 72 hours.
The court’s directive spurred the district administration which swung into action and started a demolition spree pulling down buildings constructed on RIMS land.
The court was also vary of the fact that the conduct of the district administration, including the revenue authorities, comprising circle officers of the circle concerned, were in position of the records all the time.
However, no official came forward, and titles were repeatedly altered to favour private parties. Rent receipts, revenue records, and non-encumbrance certificates were doctored and manipulated, the court observed in the order.
The case will again be heard on January 6, 2026. PTI CORR NAM MNB
