Court stays 'sale' of Methodist school's land

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 28. The Fifth Additional Chief Judge of the City Civil Courts, Mr. A.S. Prasad, on Thursday issued a stay, restoring status quo regarding the 5,750 sq. yards of land belonging to Methodist Boys High School at Abids, which was given to a private party for development.

The stay, which was in response to an appeal filed by lay members of the Hyderabad Conference of Methodist Church, gives a reprieve to the clergy and the laity, who were at loggerheads for the past two months. A trial court earlier dismissed the petition filed by the lay members for grant of stay and did not appreciate the evidence that those who sought to sell the property to the developer did not possess title deeds in their name.

The Counsel representing the appellants, Mr. B. Benny Bhaskar, submitted before the Judge that the said property was bought by the American Methodist Episcopal Mission in 1929. This organisation continued to be its rightful owner even now because the title deeds were in its name and remained unaltered.

Property tax was paid on the land in the name of this Mission even now. He argued that those who "sold" this land to the developer thus had no locus standi in the matter. He said, the agreement signed by them with the developer was not registered as required under the Contract Act and it was a "sham document" as it was also understamped.

By the time the stay came, the site was excavated for construction of the cellar for the proposed multi-storey complex named "Methodist Etrium". Members of the church received the court orders with cheers. However, they wanted to continue the agitation.

Mr. B.S. Abraham Lincoln, leader of the laity spearheading the agitation, said that they had reached the last stage in their effort to impeach their Bishop.

When contacted, the Bishop, Rev Rt James Nathan, said, he did not receive the court copy as yet, adding "if the court order is like that, we abide by that."

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Section  : Southern States
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