ADILABAD: After a protracted legal battle spanning 42 years, a court in Mancherial on Wednesday ordered the seizure of the local RDO office till such time the administration releases Rs 2.92 crore to an elderly woman farmer as compensation for the land acquired from her.
Following the order, the court staff seized office materials such as computers and tables, and shifted them to the court premises.
Counsel Suresh, who appeared for the aggrieved woman, said that in 1982, the state government acquired 23.27 acres of land from his client Ajmera Begum, a native of Parpelly village in Kothapalli mandal.
The land falls under Survey Nos. 478 and 480. Later, the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) Utnoor sent a requisition letter to Mancherial RDO for mulberry plantation and construction on the acquired land.
However, despite acquisition of the land by the RDO, compensation was not paid to Ajmera. Instead, the officials claimed that the land did not belong to the farmer.
After the farmer approached the Asifabad court for justice, it ruled in favour of Ajmera.
Compensation was delayed despite order by high court
However, justice eluded Ajmera Begum, since the compensation was not released. She then approached the Telangana High Court, which directed the release of compensation.
Despite the high court order, there was further delay in releasing compensation. Ajmera Begum then filed a contempt of court case in the local court.
Finally, the Mancherial district court ordered the release of Rs 2.92 crore within three months.
However, even after six months, the RDO officials did not release the compensation, prompting the court to order the seizure of the RDO office.
The court said that the office material would be returned upon the deposit of the compensation into the farmer’s bank account.
The RDO discussed the matter with the district collector.