MP High Court Intervenes in 30-Year-Old Demolition Case
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has delivered a significant ruling, temporarily halting the planned demolition of a historic building in Mhow that has been at the center of a legal battle spanning nearly three decades. In a hearing on Friday, Justice Pranay Verma granted a 15-day interim stay that prevents the Mhow Cantonment Board from carrying out any demolition or structural work at the site known locally as "Maulana's Building."
Court Questions 30-Year Delay in Demolition Notice
Justice Verma made crucial observations about the timing of the demolition action, noting that the previous notices were issued to the property owner back in 1996-1997. The court explicitly stated that if any action was to be taken against the petitioner after a period of almost 30 years from the date of the original notice, he should have been given a proper opportunity for hearing.
The four-storey structure, one of the most recognizable landmarks in Mhow's Kayastha neighborhood, has gained renewed attention amid ongoing investigations involving the Siddiqui family. The building originally belonged to the late Mohammad Hammad Siddiqui, father of Al Falah University chairman Jawad Siddiqui, who later transferred ownership to his son.
Legal Battle and Property Ownership Details
The stay order came during a hearing on a petition filed by Abdul Majid, who currently resides in the building with his family. Majid claims to be the lawful owner after Jawad Siddiqui gifted the property to him. His petition challenges the Cantonment Board's demolition notice on multiple grounds.
Advocate Ajay Bagadiya, representing Majid, presented several key arguments to the court:
- The demolition notice fails to specify which portion of the structure is unauthorized
- The board relied on documents from 1996-97 instead of conducting a current assessment
- The notice violated Supreme Court's 2025 guidelines requiring a minimum 15-day response period
- The board had issued only a three-day ultimatum for response
The legal counsel further emphasized that similar notices had been sent nearly three decades ago, but no follow-up action was taken at that time, raising questions about the sudden urgency.
Broader Context and Family Connections
The demolition notice coincides with renewed scrutiny of the Siddiqui family amid a multi-state fraud investigation. The probe gained fresh momentum after at least two doctors employed by Al Falah Medical College in Haryana's Faridabad were allegedly linked to a terror module suspected to be behind the November 10 blast near the Red Fort in Delhi.
Adding to the family's legal troubles, Jawad's younger brother, Hamud Ahmed Siddiqui, was arrested earlier this week in Hyderabad after evading authorities for nearly 25 years. He faces multiple investment fraud cases dating back to 2000, involving allegations of defrauding retired Army and Military Engineer Services personnel through bogus investment schemes.
The High Court's intervention ensures that the building will remain standing until the matter returns to court, giving the petitioner temporary relief in a case that bridges decades of legal history and contemporary investigations.
