UP Govt to auction properties of 3 anti-CAA protesters to recover ‘compensation’

The Lucknow administration has decided to put moveable properties of three main accused in the anti-CAA protests under the hammer as they have failed to pay ‘compensation’ for the property damaged during the violence in 2019.

A government spokesman said that recovery certificates have been issued against the three persons. “Their properties have already been sealed and they were given time to pay compensation. As they have failed to do so, the administration has decided to auction their properties,” Lucknow District Magistrate Abhishek Prakash said in a statement issued last night.

The auction will take place on July 16.

The properties were owned by Dharam Veer Singh, Mahenoor Choudhary and Mohd Nafees.

Mahenoor Choudhary owned a junk store in Wazirganj while Dharamveer Singh was assistant manager at a garment store near Khadra. Mohd Nafees owned a welding shop in Khurram Nagar.

The attachments were done under the Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Property Ordinance-2020. The order was issued by Additional District Magistrate (Trans Gomti) Vishwa Bhushan Mishra.

The government says that a recovery certificate of ₹ 21.76 lakh was issued against Dharamveer Singh while it was ₹ 5 lakh against Choudhary and Rs 8 lakh against Mohd Nafees.

The protests against the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) turned violent in the city on December 19, 2019 in which protesters and police fought pitched battles on the streets of Lucknow, particularly in the old area. Three persons were killed while public and private properties were damaged. The government assessed the ‘loss’ at ₹ 1.55 crore and 57 persons were issued notices to pay the damage.

The administration has held 28 people guilty for damaging property worth ₹ 64.38 lakh, while 16 people were held responsible for damage of property worth ₹ 67.74 lakh and 13 people for ₹ 21.76 lakh.

On March 6, the administration put up hoardings with photos and addresses of 53 anti-CAA protesters across the city identifying them as rioters and projecting them as defaulters who have failed to pay for the damages caused during violence on December 19 last year.

The hoardings included pictures of Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas, retired IPS SR Darapuri and Congress leader Sadaf Jafar.

Earlier on March 20, the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court had asked Lucknow administration to stop all coercive actions such as attachment of properties and arresting protesters to recover the damages.