Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court has ruled that former cricketer and Trinamool Congress MP Yusuf Pathan is in illegal possession of government land in Vadodara. The court directed him to vacate the plot adjacent to his bungalow in Tandalja, rejecting his plea to retain the property.
The dispute began in 2012 when the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) issued a notice asking Pathan to vacate the land. Despite the rejection of his request to purchase the land in 2014, he continued to occupy it. Municipal authorities had forwarded his appeal to the state government, but the proposal was turned down. The matter eventually reached the High Court.
Justice Mona Bhatt, presiding over the case, emphasized that public figures must uphold the law. The judgment stated that celebrities, due to their influence, have a greater responsibility to set the right example. Allowing them exemptions would damage public trust in the judicial system and create a dangerous precedent.
Pathan argued in his petition that both he and his brother, former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan, required the land for their family’s security. He sought permission to buy it, citing their status as internationally known sportsmen. The court dismissed this claim, ruling his occupation unauthorized.
The judgment reinforces the principle that legal accountability applies equally to all, regardless of fame or public status. The case has drawn attention as a reminder that government property cannot be treated as personal entitlement.
