The Uttarakhand government sent teams to vacate the Kabul House in Dehradun Thursday and 17 families were evicted.
This comes two weeks after the Dehradun District Magistrate court issued orders that the Kabul House, worth Rs 400 crore and designated as “enemy property” since the Partition, be vacated in 15 days.
For over four decades, the grand edifice was entangled in court disputes. It is said that Afghanistan’s ruler Mohammad Yakub Khan was the owner of Kabul House located in a posh area of EC Road in Dehradun. After the Partition, Afghan royal family members left the country and settled in Pakistan. However, some families have been residing in this house spread over 19 bighas. The families had strongly opposed the court order.
Kabul House, also known as the Kapyong House, was the residence of Mohammad Yaqub Khan. After the Second Anglo-Afghan War in 1879, Khan was dethroned and exiled by the British and sent to Dehradun, which was then part of British India, and he stayed in Kabul House from 1879 until his death in 1923. During his time in Dehradun, Khan received a pension from the British government. Dehradun City Magistrate Pratyush Singh clarified that the eviction was carried out in accordance with a district court order, and the occupants were given prior notice to vacate the premises.
Earlier, the court in its order said it is clear from the documents that the land was occupied illegally, and the people residing have not yet submitted any documents related to rent or ownership rights to the government.
The DM has also ordered an assessment of the outstanding amount against the occupants for occupying the place for such a long time and to act against those presenting fake ownership documents.