Pune court allows Jamadar family permanent possession of Jaystambh land

A Pune court granted the Jamadar-Malvadkar family permanent possession of Jaystambh and 9.25 acres of adjoining land in Perne village.

A court in Pune on Friday allowed the Jamadar-Malvadkar family’s permanent possession of Jaystambh and adjoining land (measuring about 9.25 acre) located at Perne village in Haveli taluka on the Pune-Ahilyanagar highway.

Amol Shinde, Joint Civil Judge (Senior Division) passed an order in this regard on Friday.

As per historical records, the Jaystambh, is a military monument erected by the British government in 1822 in memory of its soldiers who fought against the Peshwas in the Battle of Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818.

The British had appointed their soldier Kandojibin Gajoji Jamadar – who was wounded in the Battle of Koregaon Bhima – as the Jaystambh’s in-charge on December 13, 1824.

The British government had also granted him a “sanad” (official order) according to which his family was given possession of about 260 acres of land, along with the Jaystambh and adjoining land, till the time they had male successors.

His sixth descendant Captain Balasaheb Jamadar-Malvadkar, a retired Indian Army officer, produced the original copy of the “sanad” and other documents before the court.

The suit

In September 2015, the Bhima Koregaon Vijay Stambh Saurakshan and Savardhan Samiti, a private organisation, wrote a letter to then State Minister of Social Justice Rajkumar Badole, alleging that the Jamadar (Malvadkar) family’s name was “illegally” included in the 7/12 extract of land adjoining the Jaystambh.

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The Samiti demanded that the family’s name be removed from the 7/12 extract and the alleged “encroachment” constructed by them cleared. The Samiti pointed out that lakhs of followers of Dr B R Ambedkar, who visit Jaystambh every year on January 1, face problems due to the lack of space at the venue.

According to the Jamadar (Malvadkar) family, the minister’s remarks for action on the Samiti’s letter were later forwarded to the government-run Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute (BARTI) and Pune district collector.

The Jamadar family said that after learning the minister had directed the government officials to remove their houses, shed and agricultural produce from the said land, they filed a civil suit in April 2017 against the State of Maharashtra, BARTI and the Samiti, seeking an order of permanent injunction, to restrain the state government from evicting them from Jaystambh and adjoining land.

The suit was filed by Captain Balasaheb Jamadar- Malvadkar and his relatives, Namdev Jamadar-Malvadkar and Ashok Jamadar-Malvadkar. Namdev passed away in 2021.

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In the courts

While the lower courts rejected their pleas, the Jamadars got a status quo from the Bombay High Court, and moved the civil court (senior division), challenging the previous orders.

The High Court passed an order on September 17, 2025, asking the trial court to expedite the hearings of this civil suit and decide the matter within one year.

On July 17, 2026, as per a trial court order, BARTI and Bhima Koregaon Vijay Stambh Saurakshan and Savardhan Samiti were excluded from the suit.

Advocates Hemant Bhopatkar and Rohan Jamadar-Malvadkar, who too is a successor of Kandojibin Gajoji Jamadar, argued on behalf of the petitioners (Jamadars).

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On Friday, the court passed an order that the defendant (state government) and anybody representing the defendant “is permanently restrained from disturbing the possession” of the plaintiffs (Namdev’s heirs and Ashok Jamadar-Malvadkar) over the suit property. It also stated that the government is “permanently restrained from dispossessing” them from the suit property, without following the due process of the law.

The court dismissed the suit of Captain Balasaheb Jamadar-Malvadkar but allowed the suit of two others and decided the matter.

His son and lawyer Rohan said, “The court has given the order in favour of the Jamdar-Malvadkar family. A British general order of 1824, a British court order of 1826 and other documents were additionally submitted in the court to prove our possession on the Jaystambh and adjoining land. Dismissing the suit for Captain Jamadar-Malvadkar is a technical issue. He was in possession of the original copy of ‘sanad’ granted by the Britishers regarding the suit property. Application for adding his name on the 7/12 extracts of the said land is pending before a revenue court.”

Sensitive location

Jaystambh is a historically sensitive location in Maharashtra. According to the Jamadar family, which belongs to the Maratha community, both British and Peshwa forces who fought the Koregaon Bhima battle comprised soldiers of different castes. Thus, they say, this battle cannot be linked to any particular caste or religion.

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However, as per a Dalit-Ambedkarite narrative, the British Army, comprising 500 soldiers from the Mahar community, defeated a 28,000-strong force of Peshwas in this battle.

Lakhs of Ambedkarites across Maharashtra and other parts of the country visit the Jaystambh every year on January 1, calling it “Shaurya Din” (victory day) to pay tribute to soldiers who, they believe, fought a war for freedom against the alleged casteism of the Peshwas.

Widespread violence was reported in Koregaon Bhima area on January 1, 2018, at the time of the 200th commemoration of the battle.

As the matter was subjudice, every year in December, the state government sought permission from the Bombay HC to make arrangements at the Jaystambh and adjoining land, for the programme to mark the Battle of Koregaon Bhima.

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Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

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