Allahabad High Court has suspended Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ), Sultanpur, judge Manoj Kumar Shukla who allegedly protested against the acquisition of his ancestral land by lying down in front of a bulldozer.
The land is being used for the construction of the Hariya-Rajwaha Saryu canal in Chhapia Shukal village in Basti district. The project was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2021.
As per High Court website, additional district and session judge Manoj Kumar Shukla has been “suspended since April 3 and attached with the headquarters Sonbhadra”.
However, the reason behind the suspension has not been listed.
“Among the acquired land was the farmland of Shukla’s father (Jagdish Prasad Shukla) the cost of which was calculated based on the circle rate. A cheque for the calculated amount was signed and the judge’s father was informed to collect it. He came here, but did not collect the cheque,” said one of the officials involved in the acquisition drive.
“I am a law officer, this is my ancestral land which is being occupied, this is wrong, the acquisition of the land in 2013 is against the rules. The DM’s order is a corrupt order,” judge Shukla stated.
Last month, a video of him lying in front of a JCB wearing a coat, pants, and a tie, went viral over the internet.
National President of the Samajwadi Party and the leader of opposition in the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly, Akhilesh Yadav had also tweeted an image seeking justice in the matter.
