Army moves HC against Nirmal Singh’s wife

Srinagar, May 16: The Army has moved an application before the J&K High Court seeking contempt proceedings against Mamta Singh, the wife of senior BJP leader and Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly, Dr. Nirmal Singh for going ahead with the construction process on a disputed piece of land in Nagrota in Jammu.
The contempt petition was filed before the court by the Army after the respondent Mamta Singh, allegedly in violation of a court order, did not stop the construction work, for which the Army had raised serious objections including the one of posing a security risk to the ammunition depot of the Army situated adjacent to the piece of land owned by her.
The court on May, 7 had directed the respondent not to go ahead with the construction following a petition filed by the Army raising objections.
Army in its petition has submitted that the land in question was situated at the “prohibited distance of 530 metres from the premier boundary wall of 4 Ammunition Sub Depot (15 FAD)” at Ban Nagrota in Jammu.
The Army has taken the plea that any construction in the said area as prohibited under the provisions of Works of Defence Act, 1903 and also alleged that the said construction was illegal.
It has also sought complete revenue record of the disputed land like Khasra number, ownership details along with record of the rights and other relevant documents as it claims that entire deal was struck in an illegal manner and as per the provisions of the relevant laws the structure raised on the piece of land had to be dismantled.
On May, 7, the High Court while hearing the main petition of the Army had ordered the stay on the construction being raised by Mamta Singh, which the Army said was duly submitted to the concerned authorities including the deputy commissioner Jammu and SHO police station Nagrota for implementation.
However, the Army in its contempt petition has alleged that the authorities concerned have done nothing for the implementation of the court order and that Mamta Singh was going ahead with the construction on the said land.
The Army alleged that the respondents, which include Commissioner/Secretary Revenue, divisional commissioner Jammu and SSP Jammu, besides others were permitting the respondent 6 (Mamta Singh) “to carry out unlawful/impermissible activity in the area by raising illegal construction” which it said was “a deliberate and wilful act of the disobedience of the court order”.
The court after hearing the counsel for the Army issued notices to the respondents with the direction that order passed by the court should be implemented in letter and spirit.
Meanwhile, opposition National Conference leader Omar Abdullah targeted the BJP over the issue of alleged illegal construction.
“Dear @BJP4India the Indian Army is moving court against the J&K Speaker’s (until recently Deputy CM) wife & yet we hear nothing from you about these anti-national people who are a threat to national security. May I ask why? (sic),” Abdullah said in a tweet.