Pradeep Ramteke
Editor-in-Chief
Finally, after 45 years, Manikgarh Cement Company and Altatech Cement Company have started paying compensation for agricultural land and houses to 24 tribals of Mauja Kunsubi village in Jiwati taluka under Chandrapur district.
24 tribal farmers from Mauja Kunsubi, including incident researcher and Talathi Vinod Khobragade, fought a legal fight and this fight got a legal turn.
The illegal bribery of the company’s directors and managing officers, including Talathi Vinod Khobragade, has trapped 24 tribal farmers of Mauja Kunsubi within the framework of the law, so to save themselves, they have finally started paying compensation for their farms and houses to 24 tribals of Mauja Kunsubi.
But will the company directors and managers, and the relevant responsible officers, be freed from the clutches of the law due to the terrible delay in paying compensation? We will know this in a few months!
The Mumbai High Court, Nagpur bench, sought answers from the Maharashtra government, District Collector Chandrapur, Manikgarh Cement Company and Altatech Cement Company and Sub-Divisional Officer Rajura, Tehsildar Jivati last week, after 45 years, May Manikgarh Cement Company and May Altatech Cement Company have started paying compensation for their farms and houses to 24 tribals of Kunsubi.
Vinod Khobragade, a social activist, had filed Criminal Writ Petition 657/2021 in the Mumbai High Court, Nagpur Bench.
The judge had sought a reply from the Maharashtra government, administration and the company, directing them to file a reply stating when, how much, and by which check the compensation for agricultural land and houses was paid to the 24 tribals of Kunsubi.
Till date, the revenue officer and the company have not filed a reply. But for the past two days, the company has started paying the compensation for agricultural land and houses to the 24 tribals of Kunsubi by check.
Finally, Vinod Khobragade, after following up continuously since 2013, has secured justice and rights for the 24 tribals of Kunsubi.
The company has been embezzling hundreds of crores of rupees in non-agricultural industrial tax of the Maharashtra government for the last 45 years, due to which the struggle is going on in court.
Today, on 11/02/2026, the Bombay High Court, Nagpur Bench, has directed the Maharashtra Government, District Collector Chandrapur, Sub-Divisional Officer Rajura, Tehsildar Jiwati to file their reply within two weeks in Criminal Writ Petition No. 657/2021 Vinod Khobragade vs. Government of Maharashtra, and seven others.
Notably, on 6/1/2026, the Maharashtra Government and District Collector Chandrapur had filed a bogus affidavit through Tehsildar Chandrapur in the Bombay High Court, Nagpur Bench.
Criminal Writ Petition No. 657/2021 was filed by Vinod Khobragade in relation to 24 tribals of the respondent 1 to 7 of the kinship, but the District Collector Chandrapur filed a bogus reply in the case of Vinod Khobragade vs. Government of Maharashtra and 20 others, in which the then Deputy District Collector Chandrapur, Mr. Ajit Pawar, illegally and illegally converted 497 acres of government land at Tukum Chandrapur to Pradeep Sudhakar Khandre and others, and cheated the court.
Whereas in the said case Vinod Khobragade vs. Government of Maharashtra and 20 others, the judge took the matter seriously and converted it into a public interest litigation No. 4/2021, which is admissible.
While the said company was up for hearing on 11/2/2026, on 10/2/2026, the bogus reply was filed in the court yesterday by Manikgarh Cement Company and Altatech Cement Company.
For 45 years, the company and the revenue officer have been fooling the government administration, the people’s representatives, the Chief Minister, and the court by making false affidavits for paying compensation for agricultural land and houses to 24 tribals of Kusumbi.
Last week, after not paying compensation for the agricultural land and houses of 24 tribals of Mauja Kunsubi in Jiwati taluka under Chandrapur district for 45 years, Manikgad Cement Company and Altatech Cement Company illegally demolished the houses of the tribals by signing an agreement in the office of Tehsildar Jiwati, installing security guards and using an illegal bulldozer.
The Mumbai High Court, Nagpur Bench, had issued a notice and sought a reply from the company and the revenue officer.
The company and the revenue officer were to reply on 11/2/2026.
Today, on 11/2/2026, a hearing was held at the Mumbai High Court, Nagpur Bench.
The Maharashtra government and the District Collector Chandrapur have sought time to file a reply, the court has directed to file a reply within two weeks.
For 45 years, 24 tribals of Kunsubi were illegally mining limestone without paying compensation for their agricultural land and houses, and were committing injustice and atrocities on the tribals and were embezzling a large amount of revenue.
Without acquiring the land of Kunsubi village, Manikgarh Cement Company and Altatech Cement Company were illegally mining limestone in connivance with the revenue officer and were committing injustice and atrocities on the tribals.
Since 2013, Vinod Khobragade, a social activist from Warora, was pursuing the government and even Delhi.
Finally, a criminal writ petition was filed in the Mumbai High Court, Nagpur Bench and a notice was issued seeking a reply, and it seems that the company and the revenue officer are sweating.
The company assured the farmers in a written meeting that it would pay compensation by 30/9/2025. However, no compensation has been paid till date.
Last week, as soon as the judge asked for a reply, the company started paying compensation for agricultural land and houses to 24 tribals.
Manikgarh Cement Company and Altatech Cement Company had raised the question of how they were demolishing the houses of 24 tribals of Kunsubi by using bulldozers without paying compensation for agricultural land and houses on 6/2/2026?
For 45 years, they were illegally excavating limestone without paying compensation for agricultural land and houses to 24 tribals of Kunsubi, and now they are also demolishing their houses, what is going on?
A criminal writ petition filed by Vinod Khobragade is pending in the Mumbai High Court, Nagpur Bench.
The hearing was held on 11/2/2026. Finally, as soon as the court sought a reply, the Sadar company has started paying compensation for agricultural land and houses to 24 tribals of Kunsubi.
Today, the Honorable Justice has sought a reply from the Maharashtra Government and the District Collector of Chandrapur within two weeks.
