Unraveling the Drama: A 7,400 square meter property's commotion rocked the heart of Noida's renowned shopping center
In the bustling city of Noida, located in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Mall of India stands as a popular landmark. This retail haven, developed by DLF, is built on a contentious piece of land that has been the centre of a protracted legal battle.
The saga began in 1997 when Veeranna Reddy, a local businessman, purchased two plots of land in Noida's Chhalera Bangar for a sum of Rs 1 crore. However, Reddy's ownership of the land was contested, leading to a series of legal battles with the Noida Authority.
In 2005, the Noida Authority purchased the land from Reddy, a transaction that Reddy later claimed was unfair. The Authority subsequently sold the land to DLF, which constructed the Mall of India. However, Reddy continued to assert his exclusive ownership of the plot, obtaining a compromise decree in 2006 through a revoked power of attorney.
In 2006, the Noida Authority issued a notification for the acquisition and possession of the contentious land, a move challenged by Reddy. The Allahabad High Court eventually ordered the Noida Authority to pay compensation to Reddy in 2021. The initial compensation entitlement was around Rs 295 crore, but after discussions with authorities, it settled at Rs 235 crore.
However, the Supreme Court overturned this payout in 2025, ruling that Reddy's claim was fraudulent. The court found that Reddy had suppressed critical information about co-ownership and an ongoing civil suit by co-owners Vishnu and Sudhakar challenging the 2006 decree, thereby misleading the courts.
The legal battle over the land on which the Mall of India was built has raised a massive alarm for the Noida Authority and DLF. The Supreme Court has ordered the Noida authority to ensure that Chitresh Sehgal, who successfully defied the Authority in a 17-year-long legal battle, is duly compensated by DLF.
The Mall of India, spanning an area of 1.85 lakh sq m in Noida's Sector 18, remains one of the biggest malls in the Delhi NCR region. Despite the legal turmoil, it continues to attract a large number of visitors, offering a diverse range of shopping, dining, and entertainment options.
The Noida Authority recently issued a notice to DLF to pay Rs 235 crore compensation to Reddy in 15 days. The resolution of this long-standing legal battle will have significant implications for both parties involved and could set a precedent for future land disputes in the region.
[1] Sources: The Indian Express, The Times of India, The Hindu, and Live Law.
- In addition to the legal troubles, the Mall of India in Noida, built on contentious real estate, risks straining its relations with the DLF, a prominent Indian business conglomerate and real estate developer, due to the ongoing financial implications of the long-standing dispute over the plot's ownership.
- The ruling by the Supreme Court, declaring Veeranna Reddy's claim as fraudulent and overturning the compensation payout, has brought attention to the importance of financial transparency, especially when investing in the Indian real-estate market, a critical aspect of India's finance and economy.
- The resolution of the protracted dispute between the Noida Authority, DLF, and Veeranna Reddy could have far-reaching consequences, providing insights into Bollywood-esque business dramas that underscore the complexities of real-estate deals in India and the need for diligent due diligence in such transactions.
