HUBLI: A poor auto driver turned into a millionaire overnight, owning more than 350 properties in the heart of Hubli city, courtesy the Assistant Director of Land Records (ADLR) officials.
The forefathers of Noorulla Khan Jahagirdar had owned 12 acres and 13 guntas in Aravind Nagar and most of it was sold to the Hubli Dharwad Municipal Council in 1976.
Several properties were divided among the relatives, while some were sold three to four times. Noorulla Khan and his family had only 45 guntas left in CTS no 63.
In 2006, then ADLR officials allegedly entered a name in the property registration card of Noorulla Khan in City Survey Number 58/1 without mentioning the particular section of the property.
Surprisingly, this survey had included over 350 properties in Aravind Nagar, a posh residential area. This illegal entry made the auto driver a millionaire overnight. He then started playing the property card. Noorulla Khan started to file litigations over many properties in the colony. He acquired the only ground for sports activities in Aravind Nagar, property belonging to the HDMC. Khan tried to sell the land and gave many promissory notes to different builders.
Vivekanand Education Society adjacent to this ground is said to have paid him Rs 20 lakh for their own land which it had purchased from the HDMC. Khan argued that the entire property belonged to him.
Though the playground was encroached, HDMC officials never stopped Khan from fencing the property. Khan has already made deals with builders to part with some encroached land. Some big names in the HDMC are allegedly hand in glove with Khan, in selling its own property.
A social activist of Old Hubli, Nandagopal Safare, filed an application to ADLR Under RTI Act. He also requested that the open area which is used as sports ground should remain a playground.
T Rajanna, ADLR, started the investigation and found that according to the 2003 orders of the High Court regarding property dispute between Jahagirdar family and Education Society, Khan only owned 45guntas. ADLR decided to seek legal opinion and ordered to vacate the fencing of the ground which was encroached. Last Thursday, ADLR office issued a new property register card and deleted the name of Jahagirdar on CTS number 58/1 of the whole title. The deletion copies are available. ADLR and his subordinates were threatened by Khan’s goons and the former have approached the police for protection. Rajanna said that the name of the real owners have been registered after deleting Khan’s name. HDMC Commissioner Dr K V Trilokchandra has taken action to remove the fence around the encroachment
