Lotika Sarkar to get her house back: Court (Lead)

The Delhi High Court Thursday cancelled Lotika Sarkar's gift deed, bequeathing her house in upmarket Hauz Khas to Preeti Dhoundial, wife of a police official, and asked the 87-year-old former Delhi University law faculty professor to stay there.

Justice S.N. Dhingra cancelled the gift deed after a mutual agreement took place between Sarkar and Dhoundial in the court, in a proceeding marked by emotions and loud arguments.

"I am ready to give the house to my Monu Massi (Lotika) if she asks me personally," Preeti told the court, with tears in her eyes.

On this, the court asked Lotika and she replied, "Yes I want my house back."

While recording the statement of Lotika, the court asked her why she had signed the gift deed but did not issue a letter of authority?

To this, Lotika said, "Preeti and her family had taken good care of me after my husband Chanchal Sarkar died and had taken all the responsibilities, so I signed the deed."

Lotika also informed the court that she has no personal grudges against the Dhoundials but wanted her distant cousin to look after the affairs of the house and wanted to go back to her house, which is worth around Rs.50 million.

Agreeing to her mistake, Lotika said, "I should have been more careful while signing the deed but I did not do that."

Preeti Dhoundial made her stand clear before the court that she is ready to give back Lotika's house to her and informed the court that their association with the Sarkars was long, since 1975.

Pointing fingers to the media, counsel for Dhoundial said: "The media was unfair to us and highlighted our bad character, but our intention is clear and we want this issue should be solved amicably."

The court asked Delhi Police to open the seal of the house and let Lotika stay in it. The court also restrained any NGO from interfering in the affairs of Lotika Sarkar, the widow of journalist Chanchal Sarkar.

The court also quashed all proceedings in the case that are pending in the tribunal set up under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007.

But the court asked counsel to file a separate plea for quashing the criminal FIR registered at the Hauz Khas police station and said that the court will pass a detailed order later.

The tribunal had last month ordered Lotika to stay in her house and directed the deputy commissioner of police (south district) to immediately evict the Dhoundials from her house.

A tussle over the ownership of the house in South Delhi came into the limelight after a national daily highlighted the octogenerian's plight and the fight between Dhoundial and another caretaker regarding ownership of the property.

Both claim that Lotika Sarkar had bequeathed them the house.

Last updated on Nov 26^th, 2009 at 20:15 pm IST--IANS