Recovery notices issued to 13 in Lucknow

ADM gives them 30 days to deposit the penalty amount, either collectively or by a single person.

The court of Additional Disrict Magistrate in Lucknow has issued notices to recover ₹21.76 lakh from 13 persons accused of damaging public and private property in the vandalism and arson that took place during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Fixing culpability of the 13 persons, ADM (Trans Gomti) Vishwa Bhushan Mishra has given them 30 days to deposit the penalty amount, either collectively or by a single person.

The district administration had issued notices to 20 persons to recover damage to property, but charges were fixed only against 13.

The remaining seven were exonerated from paying the damages as the police could not provide evidence that they were present at the protest site in Khadra locality with “common object” on December 19, the notice said.

Of the remaining 13, seven could not prove that they had no role in damaging the property, while six did not reply to the notice, the ADM order said.

Stay on notice

Meanwhile, the Allahabad High Court has directed a stay on a recovery notice issued to a Kanpur resident, Mohammad Faizan, by the administration, offering him “ad-interim protection”.

The petitioner had filed the writ challenging a notice issued to him on January 1 by the ADM City Kanpur to deposit the stipulated amount towards damage to public property. The High Court said the matter related to issuing notices to alleged vandals was already being heard in the Supreme Court.

“We are of the view that the Rules under which impugned notice has been issued is under challenge before the Apex Court, therefore the ends of justice demand that the effect and operation of the impugned notice is put in abeyance till the issue is determined by the Apex Court”, the court said.

It directed the government to file a counter affidavit within a month and listed the matter in the week commencing April 20.