Sandhyarani Kunal Panigrahy v. the Union of India and Ors.

What is this about?

Bombay High Court, Civil Appellate Jurisdiction; bench G. S. Kulkarni & Aarti Sathe, JJ.; decision date 17 September 2025; batch of writ petitions (caption leads with WRIT PETITION NO. 14789 OF 2023, Nisha Chanika Prasad Patel; Court identifies first petition as Writ Petition No. 12197 of 2023, Mr. Ganesh Bhikaji Chavan v. Union of India & Ors.). Subject: demolition of chawls/rooms-tenements built 2012–2019 on Survey No.23, Village Bhopar, Tal. Kalyan, District Thane, land acquired by award dated 19 March 2013 for respondent No.2 Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation (DFCCIL); impugned notice by Sub Divisional Officer, Kalyan, No. K.D./Te-2/Bhusampadan/DFCCIL/Ka.V.1110/23 dated 21/08/2023 demanding surrender of possession; structures demolished 04 October 2023 with police assistance after matters did not reach on 03 October 2023, rendering the challenge infructuous; outcome: petitions and interim applications disposed, liberty to claim demolition compensation via applications before the Designated Officer within six weeks, to be decided per law, contentions expressly kept open; no monetary award; no statute or precedent cited. Advocates: V. A. Gangal (Senior Counsel) with Anurag Kulkarni, Shweta Parab, A. P. Mandlik for petitioners; A. I. Patel AGP with Savita Prabhune AGP for the State; Pradnya R. Bansode for respondent No.2. Useful keywords: land acquisition compensation, demolition of structures, DFCCIL, encroachment notice, infructuous writ petition, Designated Officer, Kalyan Thane.