HC verdict: Sourav can keep Salt Lake plot for market price

Sourav had applied to the Urban Development Department on November 17,2006 for a plot at BF block at Salt Lake for setting up a school against an advertisement published in newspapers on November 6,2006. Following this,the state government handed over a plot of 48.295 cottah to Sourav in BF block in February 2008 on a lease for 999 years. Sourav paid Rs 5.79 lakh for the lease.

The cricketer,however,later requested Urban Development Minister Ashoke Bhattacharjee,in a letter on January 19,2009,to allot a plot of land in CA block for the proposed school instead of the BF block. The Urban Development department then informed Sourav it could allot him a plot of 63.04 cottah in CA block but the land allotted to him in BF block would have to be surrendered by a registrar deed.

Following this,the Urban Development Department handed over a plot in CA block to Sourav in April 2009 for which the cricketer paid over Rs 20 lakh for the lease.

Today,the division bench said he would have to pay according to the rate prevailing in April 2009,which means Rs 43 lakh in addition to the Rs 20 lakh paid earlier. The petitioners had also alleged that the Urban Development Department could not change the plot use on Sourav’s request. But the High Court said the clause published in the advertisement in November 2006 mentioned that the state government reserved the right to change the plot according to its discretion. So,the allotment of plot to Sourav was legal,said the High Court.

Arunagsu Chakraborty and Amitava Mazumdar,spokespersons of Humanity,said they will move the Supreme Court challenging the verdict of the High Court.