Summary: Niraj Jain's fight over land compensation for a rail project in Chhattisgarh takes a turn as the Supreme Court reverses earlier decisions, giving him back his compensation.
In 2017, land was taken for a Special Rail Project from Rowghat to Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh. This led to a compensation decision on February 12, 2018. However, some landowners received more money than they should have because of some sneaky moves by officials.
An investigation found that some landowners unfairly got more money, leading to a police report against officials and those landowners. The High Court in Jagdalpur got involved, freezing bank accounts and asking for a new look at the compensation.
"The responsible authority was told to recalculate the compensation after considering the relevant rules and guidelines."
Niraj Jain, another landowner, wasn't happy with his compensation and went to an Arbitrator. He got an increase, but it was put on hold after the investigation's findings. Unlike others, he wasn't accused of any wrongdoing.
Niraj Jain took his case to the High Court, but his appeal was rejected. The Railways argued that the compensation was too high, affecting only a few landowners, not Niraj Jain.
On January 27, 2026, Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice K. Vinod Chandran of the Supreme Court reversed the earlier decisions. They restored Niraj Jain's compensation, stating there was no evidence against him.
"The initial award as on 12.02.2018 passed in favour of the appellant and the enhancement granted by the Arbitrator on 28.02.2019 stands restored."
Niraj Jain's compensation, along with interest, must be paid within three months. This case highlights the complexities of land acquisition and the importance of fair compensation.
