Khargone violence: MP High Court sends notice to administration, cops over plea against 'illegal demolition'

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has served a notice on administration officials and Indore’s inspector general of police over the demolishing of a restaurant in Khargone after the April 10 Ram Navami communal violence in the city. The owner of the restaurant claimed that all his papers were in order, but his property was razed without following legal procedure.

The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court has served a notice on the principal secretary of Home Department, collector of Khargone, chief municipal officer of Khargone Nagarpalika and Indore’s inspector general of police for demolishing a restaurant in Khargone after the April 10 Ram Navami communal violence in the city.

The respondents have been asked to file their reply within four weeks.

The notice was served over a petition filed by the owner of the restaurant, Atique Ali, through his counsel Ashhrar Warsi. He alleged that his restaurant in the Mohan Talkies area in Khargone, which had two living rooms attached to it, was demolished without any notice.

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"My client had all the permission and clearance. But the structure was demolished without following any legal procedure. A restaurant was run from there and a family of five was dependent on it. Also, there were two rooms where the workers lived and there were seven people who had been employed by the restaurant. Their livelihood and their families depended on it," Ashhrar Warsi said.

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Pushyamitra Bhargva, Additional Advocate General, MP, while appearing for the state said that only portions that could not have been compounded have been demolished. The additional advocate general said that proper procedure was followed for the demolition and that the remaining structure would not be touched now.