The 912 acres of land was acquired between 2004 and 2007 from three villages -- Manesar, Lakhnoula and Naurangpur - to set up an industrial township. After the acquisition was notified, many farmers had sold land at throwaway prices to private builders. The land, the court said, was initially purchased for around Rs 25 lakh per acre. But as the acquisition process progressed, prices rose to Rs 80 lakh per acre. The land was finally purchased by DLF Home Developers Ltd. at the rate of Rs.4.5 crore per acre.
"It was not a mere bonanza or a deal, but denoted quid pro quo," the court held.
But two days before the ward was to be announced in August 2007, the Hooda government cancelled the acquisition.
The bench of Justices AK Goel and Uday Lalit said the acquisition was "withdrawn with fraudulent intentions after the land was purchased by the private builders in active connivance with state functionaries". Further, the entire acquisition proceedings were initiated with "mala fide intention, illegally and in violation of the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act," the court said.
Comments
In its judgment, the top court said records indicate that various entities, including certain "middlemen" walked away with huge profits. The builders and private entities "were aware that the acquisition would not go through". Still, landholders were cornered and persuaded into transactions, the court said.The court, however said the land would not be returned to the landholders who had received compensation, which was greater than the initial award. Instead, the land would be vested with the Haryana Urban Development Authority and the Haryana Industrial Development Corporation. The builders and private entities will not be entitled to recover any money they paid to land owners, the court said.
