Munish Sood
Mandi
A formal ownership dispute has been raised concerning the land acquisition compensation amounting to approximately ₹7.20 crore in respect of land belonging to the Joginder Gymkhana Club, Mandi. Mr. Raja Omeshwar Sen has asserted hereditary ownership over the land and has sought a stay on the release of compensation to the present club management, claiming entitlement as the lawful owner.
Mr. Sen is the son of late Raja Ashokpal Sen and the grandson of late Maharaja Sir Joginder Sen Bahadur, KCSI, the last ruler of the erstwhile Mandi princely state (1913–1948). Acting through his Special Power of Attorney holder, he has raised objections regarding the acquisition of land recorded as Khewat No. 151 (earlier 148), Mohal Paddal 366/9, Tehsil Sadar, District Mandi.
According to Mr. Sen, he is the Lifetime Patron and Lifetime President of the Joginder Gymkhana Club and the absolute owner and lawful possessor of all its assets, including the acquired land. He has stated that the club was established in 1927 as an Inter-Services Club of the British Royal Indian Army and was inaugurated on October 15, 1927, by Field Marshal Sir William Birdwood. He has relied upon the commemorative plaque affixed to the property and the club’s original constitution to support his claim that ownership vested in his grandfather and thereafter devolved upon his legal heirs, with the offices of patron and president being hereditary.
Mr. Sen has contended that no valid transfer, amendment, resolution, or judicial order has divested his family of ownership rights. He has further asserted that the present club management or committee holds no proprietary interest in the land and is not legally entitled to receive the compensation.
As per available information, a compensation package exceeding ₹8.70 crore has been sanctioned for land acquired for the approach road to the suspension bridge connecting Paddal with Old Mandi, constructed in 2022. Of this amount, approximately ₹7.20 crore pertains to the Joginder Gymkhana Club land. The acquisition proceedings, which had remained pending for nearly three years, have recently been expedited.
Mr. Sen’s counsel, Advocate Sanjay Mandyal, issued a legal notice dated January 30, 2026, to the Land Acquisition Officer, HPPWD, Mandi (Sadar Division), seeking an immediate restraint on the disbursement of the compensation amount, a prohibition on payment to the present club management, and release of the compensation in favour of Mr. Sen as the lawful owner. The notice cautions that failure to comply would result in appropriate legal proceedings, including a suit for declaration of title, permanent injunction, and recovery of compensation.
Separately, Mr. Sen has submitted a representation to the Public Works Minister requesting directions to the Principal Secretary (L&B), the Deputy Commissioner, Mandi, and the Land Acquisition Officer to withhold the release of compensation until adjudication of the ownership dispute and correction of relevant records, or alternatively, to deposit the amount with the court or in an escrow account.
Mr. Sen has stated that any release of compensation to unauthorised persons would be unlawful and violative of his constitutional right to property under Article 300-A of the Constitution of India, resulting in irreparable prejudice. He has indicated his willingness to place all relevant documentary evidence on record.
The statement has been issued to place the facts before the public and the concerned authorities and to prevent any premature or unlawful disbursement, while affirming that the matter will be pursued strictly through lawful and democratic means.
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