High Court orders restoration of estate land

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday directed the Palakkad Divisional Forest Officer to restore the possession of the 133.55-acres of Zeenath Estate possessed by a private party, which had been taken over by the state.Justice S Siri Jagan passed the order while considering a petition filed by the managing partner of the estate Joseph Abraham seeking restoration of possession. The petitioner argued that the Palakkad Divisional Forest Officer carried out the eviction process without issuing notices to him. He submitted that he had been in possession of the land for the past 14 years.   Forcibly evicting him from a private area without considering his version is illegal, the petitioner pointed out.