In a major setback to former cricketer and now-TMC Member of Parliament Yusuf Pathan, the Gujarat High Court recently dismissed his petition against the state government's 2024 decision to reject the proposal to allot the plot to him and observed that being a celebrity, Pathan owes greater responsibilities to society and cannot be shown any leniency once found responsible for land encroachment.
Yusuf Pathan had reportedly erected a boundary wall over a government-owned residential plot without any approval from local authorities.
Pathan told the court that he was willing to pay the market value price to have it allotted in his favour on a lease for 99 years.
Recounting the Supreme Court's observation, Justice Mauna M Bhatt said that celebrities serve as social role models and their accountability is greater than that of ordinary people, not lesser.
"Celebrities by virtue of their fame and public presence wield substantial influence on public behaviour and social values. Granting leniency to such persons despite their non-compliance with the law gives the wrong message to society and undermines public confidence in the judicial system. Therefore, in the opinion of this court, the petitioner shall not be permitted to remain in occupation of the plot in question which he has encroached," the High Court ruling said.
The dispute dates back to 2012 when Pathan applied for a 99-year lease on a 978 square metre plot adjacent to his bungalow, claiming he needed it for security reasons due to his celebrity status.
While his application was still being considered by the state government, Pathan took matters into his own hands and erected a boundary wall around the plot. In June 2024, the state government rejected his lease proposal and ordered Vadodara Municipal Corporation to clear any encroachments on the land.
WCL 2025: Yusuf Pathan Hugs & Kisses Kids In Celebration After Helping India Champions Beat West Indies Champions And Qualify For Semi-Final; VideoPathan challenged this decision in the High Court, but his plea was dismissed. The court ruled that he had no legal right to occupy the land without proper authorisation, stating that his actions constituted illegal encroachment. The judges emphasised that neither his lengthy occupation of the plot nor his willingness to pay market rates gave him any legal claim to the property.
The court ordered the municipal corporation to take strict legal action against what it deemed to be Pathan's unlawful occupation of public land, refusing to allow the "illegality to be perpetuated."
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