In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court of India has issued a firm directive preventing any construction, sale, or transfer of a large, disputed 100-acre land parcel in Hyderabad's Shamshabad area. The order mandates that the status quo be maintained until the Telangana High Court finally disposes of an ongoing appeal concerning the ownership of the valuable property, which is claimed by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).
The Core of the Dispute: HMDA vs. Private Claimants
The legal battle revolves around land in Shamshabad and Paigah village within the Shamshabad mandal of Ranga Reddy district. The HMDA, formerly known as HUDA, asserts that it acquired approximately 180 acres in this area during the 1990s. The authority's position was bolstered by a 2009 Supreme Court order that enhanced the compensation award for the acquisition.
However, private parties, led by petitioner Mohammad Taher Khan, have staked a claim to about 100 acres of this land. Khan's case relied on judicial orders that he presented to support his ownership claim under specific survey numbers in the two villages.
Fabricated Order and Criminal Case
The case took a dramatic turn when the Telangana High Court uncovered serious irregularities in the documents submitted. A division bench of the High Court, in April 2025, made a startling discovery. It found that one of the judicial orders presented by Mohammad Taher Khan was fabricated.
The order in question was purportedly issued by Justice ND Patnaik in April 1988. The High Court bench, however, noted a critical factual error: Justice ND Patnaik was elevated to the bench of the united Andhra Pradesh High Court only in December 1988. Therefore, he could not have passed any order in April of that year.
Consequently, the High Court took severe action. It directed the Charminar police to register a criminal case against Taher Khan and instructed the government to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter thoroughly. Pending the appeal's finalization, the High Court also issued status quo orders on the land.
Supreme Court Upholds High Court's Stay
Following the registration of the FIR and while the appeal was still pending, Mohammad Taher Khan approached the Supreme Court. He sought to vacate the stay orders imposed by the Telangana High Court. The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma, heard the plea.
The apex court denied any relief to Khan and firmly reiterated the High Court's directive. It ordered all private parties involved to refrain from any construction activity on the disputed land. Furthermore, they are prohibited from alienating (selling/transferring) or encumbering (creating any legal liabilities like mortgages on) the property until the Telangana High Court delivers its final judgment on the appeal.
This Supreme Court order reinforces the authority of the state's urban development body and underscores the judiciary's low tolerance for attempts to use fraudulent documents to claim valuable public or acquired land. The final resolution now rests with the Telangana High Court, which will decide the appeal considering all evidence, including the findings of the SIT probe into the fabricated order.
