Former Indian cricketer and Trinamool Congress MP Yusuf Pathan finds himself in a significant legal predicament concerning a residential plot in Vadodara. The Gujarat High Court has officially declared Pathan an encroacher, dismissing his challenge against a notice from the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC). This judicial ruling mandates civic authorities to proceed with the removal of the alleged encroachment.
The origins of this dispute trace back to 2012. Pathan, celebrated for being a member of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning team, had initially sought to acquire an open residential plot adjacent to his Tandalja bungalow. He cited security concerns for himself and his family, given his prominence as an international cricketer. However, the VMC reviewed and subsequently rejected his request in 2014. Despite this rejection, Pathan reportedly continued to occupy the property.
The matter gained renewed attention in 2024 following Pathan’s election from the Baharampur constituency in West Bengal. The VMC subsequently re-issued a notice, instructing him to vacate the government-owned land. Pathan then contested this notice in court, leading to the recent High Court decision.
Justice Mauna Bhatt, presiding over the case, firmly underscored that Pathan’s celebrity status offers no immunity from legal obligations. She asserted that granting leniency to prominent individuals who disregard the law sends a detrimental message to the wider public.
“As a national representative and public figure, Pathan bears an even greater responsibility to adhere to the law,” Justice Bhatt remarked. “Public figures, owing to their visibility and influence, play a role in shaping societal values and public conduct. Permitting them special concessions despite regulatory violations erodes public faith in the judicial system and establishes a risky precedent.”
This definitive court judgment makes it unequivocally clear that Pathan is legally obligated to vacate the plot, reaffirming the fundamental principle that no individual, irrespective of their fame or standing, is above the law.