Twenty-eight persons in Lucknow have been asked to pay around ₹64 lakh as recovery for damage to private and public property during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act at the Parivartan Chowk on December 19.
Several vehicles, including a State bus and police motorcycles, were damaged in the arson and vandalism. Those served notices include retired IPS officer S.R. Darapuri, lawyer and activist Mohammad Shoaib, Congress member Sadaf Jafar, teacher Robin Verma and cultural activist Deepak Kabir.
The order issued by K.P. Singh, Additional District Magistrate (East), earlier this week asks the 28 persons to pay the amount within 30 days or face confiscation of their properties. The ADM found them responsible for illegal assembly and fixed the damages under “joint and several liability”.
The accused are out on bail in the arson and vandalism case slapped against them. Mr. Darapuri and Ms. Jafar said on Thursday that they intend to move court against the recovery notices. They stated they have not yet received any official communication seeking recovery. “I am hearing news that I’ve been issued recovery notices by the district administration, though I have not received any such notice till now. I will challenge it in the High Court if I get any,” said the retired IPS officer.
“The State government is sending recovery notices unconstitutionally to people. There is no proof against me of inciting violence but instead of arresting antisocial elements, they arrested and tortured me,” said Ms. Jafar, also a social activist.
The court of the Additional District Magistrate in Lucknow had earlier this month issued notices to recover ₹21.76 lakh from 13 persons accused of damaging public and private property in the vandalism and arson that took place in the Khadra area of Lucknow on December 19.
(With inputs from PTI)
