Bihar Court Settles Land Dispute Case 108 Years After It Was Filed

A court in Bihar's Bhojpur district has disposed of a civil dispute, over a piece of land measuring three acres, 108 years after it was filed.

It has been a while since Additional District and Sessions Judge Shweta Singh decided the case in favour of Atul Singh, ending the legal battle which began with his great-grandfather Darbari Singh in 1914.

"The judge deserves kudos for her perseverance. Documents pertaining to the case had been eaten up by moths. But she took the trouble to sift through these and, finally, the judgement came on March 11," Satendra Singh, the counsel for the prosecution, told reporters.

He said Darbari Singh had purchased the land from family members of one Nathuni Khan.

Mr Khan had died in 1911 leaving behind dependents who squabbled among themselves over rights to his property. The land was part of a nine-acre estate which fell into a legal wrangle and was attached by the British colonial government.

"The judge has finally said that my client, Atul Singh, can move before the sub divisional magistrate concerned for getting his land released," said the lawyer.

"It has been a peculiarly mind-boggling matter. None of the family members of Nathuni Khan are here. All of them had migrated to Pakistan after Partition. My clients have fought the case for four generations," said the advocate.

"I take some satisfaction that I have witnessed the case being decided. It was first taken up by my grandfather Shivvrat Narayan Singh after whose death my late father Badri Narayan Singh began appearing as the advocate," points out Satendra Singh.

The judgement has piqued the curiosity of legally aware social media users.

Former IPS officer and renowned civil rights activist Prakash Singh referred to the case on his Twitter handle with the remark "cry, my beloved India!"
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)