New Delhi: In a setback to the Congress, the Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a plea of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) challenging the Centre’s October 30 direction asking the National Herald newspaper’s publisher to vacate the Herald House within two weeks.
Justice Sunil Gaur said that if the House is not handed over to the Land and Development Officer within two week, the government can initiate proceeding under the provisions of Public Premises Act.
The court noted that by transfer of AJL’s 99 per cent shares to Young Indian company, the beneficial interest of AJL’s property worth Rs 413.40 crore stands clandestinely transferred to Young Indian Company. In fact, AJL has been hijacked by Young Indian, the court said.
During argument, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that transfer of 99 per cent shares of petitioner AJL to another company Young Indian violates Clause III(13) of the Lease Deed, which justifies cancellation of allotment and resumption of ‘subject premises’.
The Urban Development Ministry had said the AJL’s 56-year-old lease on Herald House had ended and asked it to vacate the premises by November 15. The publisher had approached the High Court on November 12 challenging the Ministry’s October 30 order.
The government reportedly inspected the premises a few months ago and found that the area allotted to AJL was not being used for the publication of the newspaper for the past 10 years, the court was told.
AJL has claimed that proceedings have been initiated for the purposes of scuttling the voices of dissent and the voice of the largest opposition party in the country.
The court also observed that AJL has not provided any instance to support its allegations of mala fide intention adopted by the ruling dispensation to erase, efface and defame the legacy of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. (IANS)
