In Brief
The Union of India owned land (7128.5 sq. yards) in Hyderabad that was transferred from the State of Andhra Pradesh in 1958. Legal heirs of a man who had sold part of the land (4971.5 sq. yards) claimed the remaining portion was illegally grabbed. They relied on an earlier court decree favouring the original purchasers of only the smaller part. The Supreme Court held that the earlier decree applied only to the land actually sold (4971.5 sq. yards), not the remaining land. The Union had validly acquired full title through government transfer and continuous possession since 1958, evidenced by official records. The applicants had produced no documents proving their vendor's title. The Union was not a land grabber. The appeal was allowed and the land-grabbing application dismissed.
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