Himachal: HC directs case on Rushdie's property dispute be tried at civil court

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has allowed the case related to the possession of Salman Rushdie's property in Solan to be tried in a civil court. Two people from Haryana have claimed legal rights over the property claiming that they have special power of attorney.

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh): The Himachal Pradesh High Court has disposed of a petition regarding the possession of the property of famous Indian-origin writer Salman Rushdie in the state directing that it be settled in a civil court. A division bench of Chief Justice Amjad A Syed and Jyotsna Riwal Dua has disposed of the petition on Tuesday.

The custodian of the property, Govind Ram filed a petition in the High Court against the claim of two persons from Haryana on the property of famous writer Salman Rushdie in Solan. Ram, a resident of Solan, alleged that Anirudh Vijay Shankar Das and Rajesh Tripathi of Haryana had claimed rights over Anees Villa- Rushdie's property. He further alleged that he has been taking care of the property since the year 1997 and is now being forced out.

This villa was earlier occupied by the Revenue Department and was handed over to Rushdie after he fought a legal battle. The court was told that Rushdie had appointed advocate Vijay Shankar Das as the attorney holder to take care of the property. Das died 10 years ago. There is no attorney holder of this property. The petitioner refused to hand over the property to the hands of unknown people without any concrete evidence.