Surat demolition probe will be ‘farce’ if senior officers remain in posts: Gujarat HC

The bench of Justice Nikhil Kariel noted that to ensure justice is done, the state government must not permit senior officers, including the Surat municipal commissioner and the deputy commissioner of police, to remain on duty while a committee investigates the May 30 drive that rendered nearly 150 persons homeless.

The bench passed the order on a plea filed by 26 displaced residents challenging the demolition at Nasirnagar.

For senior-most officers to continue in the post in question would result in the inquiry being “nothing but a farce”, it said.

The court also questioned the Surat Municipal Commissioner’s proposal to rehabilitate the affected persons under the housing scheme for the economically-weaker section (EWS) with the help of an NGO.

It noted that the burden of ensuring that people whose homes have been demolished “lies squarely on the shoulders of the corporation and state authorities”, and they cannot be permitted to skirt the responsibility.