HC stays order directing Chief Secretary to revisit 2008 G.O. approving sale of Dunlop land

It pertains to huge tracts of land sold to real estate firm VGN in July 2004

A Division Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday stayed the operation of an order passed by a single judge of the court on April 16 directing the Chief Secretary to revisit a Government Order issued in March 2008 approving the sale of huge tracts of land at Ambattur, worth several hundred crores of rupees, by the defunct Dunlop Rubber Company (India) Limited to real estate firm VGN in July 2004. Justices Anita Sumanth and Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy stayed the operation of the direction issued to the Chief Secretary on an appeal preferred by the representatives of the real estate firm. The interim stay was granted after senior counsel P.R. Raman, representing the appellants, contended that there was no reason why the single judge should direct the Chief Secretary to revisit a valid Government Order issued after due consideration. It was brought to the notice of the court that the promoters of the real estate firm had filed a defamation suit before the High Court seeking damages from a person who initially intended to purchase a plot at VGN Victoria Park in Ambatttur. It also sought to restrain the individual from making slanderous and malicious statements against the promoters by questioning their title over the property being sold as individual plots.