Government can take over Cheruvally estate: Susheela Bhatt

KOTTAYAM:   Former government pleader Susheela Bhatt says the government should not pay compensation to the Believers Church for the 2,263-acre Cheruvally estate. Section 11 of the Land Conservancy Act asserts its right to take over the land and the buildings at its discretion, she said, and the High Court maintained status quo prohibiting its “alienability and encumbering.” "In the light of it, no acquisition or taking over is possible. If the final HC verdict is against the government, it should approach the Supreme Court," she told DC. Ms Bhatt, who appeared for the state government against Harrison Malayalam was reacting to cabinet's decision for building an airport on the land and speculations of the church demanding compensation.

“There is already a first information report filed against the firm that sold the estate and the officials who registered it. Its primary documents, which the officials relied on for its transfer, were forged and the investigators had seized them," she said.   "The investigation is still on." Ms Bhatt was removed as the special pleader in the case midway after LDF came to power last year, inviting much criticism. It was over her arguments Justice P.V. Asha in 2015 delivered the landmark judgment that the claim of the Malayalam Plantations Limited (UK) on the status of cultivating tenant was unsustainable, reinforcing the report of special officer M.G. Rajamanickam that they belonged to the government. Justice Asha also referred the cases to a division bench for verifying the veracity of previous judgments in the case. The Harrison Malayalam Plantations, the Believers Church, and a few others are petitioners who obtained a stay on it.