Patna: Patna High Court on Thursday summoned district magistrate (DM) of Banka for his alleged role in delay in payment of compensation to a ‘raiyat' holder, whose land was acquired without any dispute under the provisions of Mukyamantri Gramin Sadak Yojana.
A single bench of Justice Satyavrat Verma, while hearing a writ petition of one Amarjeet Kumar, directed the Banka DM to appear in person on Monday, to explain why he had stopped the compensation payment to the petitioner on the mere basis of a presumption that the payment of would trigger a law and order problem.
The petitioner's counsel, Rajiv Kumar Singh, informed the court that 20 decimals of his client's ‘raiyati' land was acquired for construction of a road from Bounsi block to Bagdumba village in Banka district.
In the meantime, a counter affidavit filed on behalf of the DM admitted that a compensation of Rs 40 lakh for acquisition of land to the petitioner was pending. However, the authorities were sitting tight over the matter.
The petitioner's counsel further alleged that the DM was threatening his client with dire consequences if the writ application was not withdrawn from the Patna High Court.
This matter will be heard again on November 18.