By Brijesh Doshi
Copyright indiatoday
The Gujarat High Court has declared former cricketer and Trinamool Congress MP Yusuf Pathan an encroacher on government land in Vadodara. While ordering to vacate the disputed plot, the court said that celebrities cannot be above the law and exempting them sets a wrong precedent.A single-judge bench led by Justice Mona Bhatt issued the ruling last month, rejecting Pathan’s petition to retain control of the plot adjacent to his bungalow in Vadodara’s Tandalja area..preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}The court cited Supreme Court principles, affirming that exemptions for public figures in legal matters send the wrong message to society and undermine the rule of law.”As a national representative and public figure, Pathan’s responsibility to follow the law is greater. Celebrities, due to their fame and public presence, have a profound impact on public behaviour and societal values. Granting concessions to such individuals despite flouting the law sends a wrong message to society and undermines public trust in the judicial system,” it said.The dispute originated in 2012, when Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) issued a notice asking the Trinamool lawmaker to vacate the government land he had occupied since that year. Pathan challenged this notice and approached the Gujarat High Court.The court, however, found him to be in unauthorised possession of the plot.In his petition, Yusuf Pathan stated that he and his brother, former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan, should be permitted to purchase the land to ensure their family’s safety.”He also requested permission from the state chief minister to buy the plot on the grounds that he and his brother Irfan Pathan are both internationally renowned sports personalities and, considering their family’s security, the plot should be allotted to them,” the petition said.Municipal authorities assessed Yusuf Pathan’s request and forwarded it to the state government, which ultimately declined the proposal in 2014.Despite this official rejection, he continued to occupy the property, which led to further legal proceedings culminating in the recent High Court order.- EndsPublished By: Karishma Saurabh KalitaPublished On: Sep 16, 2025Must Watch
