CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered an investigation into the ₹93.4 crore compensation disbursed by the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) for the acquisition of 20.6 acres of land in 1975. This decision comes after setting aside various appeals related to the matter.
A division bench consisting of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and Mohammed Shaffiq issued this order on Friday, responding to appeals from CMRL, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), and others.
The case pertains to the acquisition of land in Koyambedu for a housing scheme in 1975, which was later designated for the Koyambedu market and bus terminus projects. Compensation awards were made in 1983, with funds deposited in court due to ownership disputes.
While some landowners contested the acquisition, the Supreme Court upheld it in 1996, allowing for 1.5 acres to be reserved for residential purposes. The remaining land has been allocated for public infrastructure use.
Despite previous rulings, additional petitions were filed from 2005 to 2010, seeking reconveyance of the land and challenging the original acquisition’s validity, while requesting increased compensation under the Land Acquisition Act of 2013. Petitioners claimed the acquisition had lapsed due to unpaid compensation and failure to take possession.
The bench dismissed these claims, noting that possession was taken in 1983 and compensation was duly deposited in court. Such claims of lapsed acquisition were deemed untenable and an abuse of the judicial process, as the Supreme Court’s decision upheld the acquisition.
Expressing concerns over the ₹93.4 crore provided to petitioners during a compromise regarding the exempted 1.5 acres, the bench highlighted the lack of title verification. Consequently, the court mandated that authorities pursue necessary actions, including potential criminal proceedings, should any fraud or collusion be discovered.
