New Delhi [India], March 7: The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear on March 9 a writ petition filed by Shabana Hasan, wife of rat-hole miner Vaqueel Hasan, who gained nationwide recognition for his courageous role in the Silkyara Tunnel rescue operation in Uttarkashi, where 41 trapped workers were rescued in November 2023.
The petition has been filed through Advocate Subhashchandran KR, alleging illegal demolition of the family's house in North East Delhi.
The plea has been filed against the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, the Government of NCT of Delhi and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The petitioner has sought directions from the court regarding the alleged demolition of her residential house without following due process of law.
According to the petition, officials of DDA, accompanied by police personnel, allegedly demolished the family's house located in Shri Ram Colony, Karawal Nagar, on February 28, 2024. It is claimed that the demolition was carried out using heavy machinery, including a bulldozer, without issuing any prior notice, show-cause notice, hearing, or demolition order.
The plea states that the petitioner's husband, Vaqueel Hasan, had risked his life during the Silkyara tunnel rescue operation when advanced machines failed to reach the trapped workers.
Using traditional rat-hole mining techniques, he and his team helped reach the workers and played a key role in saving all 41 labourers, earning appreciation across the country.
According to the petition, the family had purchased the modest house measuring about 80 square yards in 2019 after years of savings and financial hardship, including selling ancestral property and jewellery.
The house was the only shelter for the family, and they had been residing there continuously with government identity documents and utility records reflecting the address.
The petition further alleges that some officials had earlier demanded illegal gratification whenever the family attempted to repair or strengthen the house. Upon refusing to meet such demands, the family allegedly faced threats and intimidation.
It is claimed that the demolition left the family homeless overnight and destroyed their belongings, including furniture, clothes, appliances, documents, jewellery, and children's books.
The petitioner has also stated that the incident caused deep psychological trauma to the family, particularly affecting her daughter, who was preparing for her Class X board examinations and lost all her study material.
The plea also alleges that the action was selective, stating that many similarly placed houses in the same colony remain untouched while only the petitioner's house was demolished. According to the petition, such action indicates arbitrary and discriminatory use of power.
The petitioner has also relied on safeguards laid down by the Supreme Court of India, which require authorities to provide prior notice and an opportunity of hearing before carrying out any demolition.
Through the writ petition, the petitioner has sought compensation of at least Rs 85 lakh for the losses suffered by the family. The plea also seeks directions for the reconstruction of the demolished house at the original site or for providing suitable alternative accommodation nearby, along with an independent investigation into the alleged illegal demolition and action against the officials responsible.