27 years on, gallantry medal winner awaits promised land from Maharashtra government

Getting compensation, or even rightful allotments from the state, seems to be a Sisyphian task, not just for kin of war heroes but also for decorated policemen who are alive and kicking. Retired assistant commissioner of police Suresh Walishetty, who received President's Police Medal for Gallantry in 1985, has filed a petition in the high court after the government failed to allot him an agricultural land almost three decades after promising it.

The 68-year-old retired cop had applied for agricultural land in 1986 in keeping with a government resolution announcing rewards for cops like him.

His petition, while accusing the authorities of negligence and gross delay, states he is entitled to compensation and/or damages equivalent to the market value of the plot reserved for him in case the land cannot be allotted because of policy changes.

The year Walishetty won the medal, the departments of housing and forest, issued a resolution stating winners of the police gallantry medal could apply for a residence or agricultural plot admeasuring two hectares.
Accordingly, Walishetty wrote to the DGP in 1986, seeking agricultural land in Kagal taluka in Kolhapur, and his letter was forwarded to the government.

After six years, Walishetty received a reply from the forest department, stating he should directly contact Kolhapur district collector, who had apparently been asked by the government to take steps to act on his claim.But the policeman received a letter in June 1996 from the tehsildar's office stating that the land could not be allotted to him as it was reserved for government purposes.

He then put in a request for a plot at Vichumbe in Raigad, which was also, he was told, unavailable. Walishetty was then shown a land at Devad village in the same district but the tehsildar cited technical reasons to tell him why the land could not be allotted.

Finally, Walishetty selected a land at Jite village in Pen taluka, Raigad. And yet again, despite prolonged correspondence, he did not receive a positive reply.

On January 4, 2013, he wrote to the then home minister R R Patil, saying he had been fighting for a land for 27 years and it seemed to him the allotment wouldn't be possible in his lifetime. Patil replied within 10 days that his applications were being looked into and that "urgent action will be taken." Walishetty even wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Having exhausted administrative avenue to recourse, he finally filed a petition in the high court stating his claim has been kept lingering on some or the other pretext for a long time.
His petition will be heard on March 20.

Who is Walishetty?
Walishetty, who joined the police force in 1971, is the only police officer in the state to receive four police medals from the president, which is one of the highest honours bestowed upon an officer. Also, he has has a record of receiving three gallantry awards from the state governor. He has also received HS Joshi Trophy for Best Investigation.
The retired cop is known for solving high-profile cases such as the 1993 bomb blasts case, the 2003 twin bomb blasts at Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazar which claimed 52 lives, the JJ shootout, and the arrest and conviction of gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli.
He was to retire in December 2005, but was asked to continue service till the trial in the 2003 case was concluded. The three main accused – Syyed Hanif, his wife Fehmida and Ashrat Ansari – were sentenced to death by the special court which was confirmed by the HC.
He was eventually relieved from duty in 2008.