The Illegal Dispossession Act explained

The Illegal Dispossession Act 2005 was made for exactly this problem — organised property grabbing — and it is criminal rather than civil, which changes the pace entirely.

What it does

• Makes it a criminal offence to enter or occupy property unlawfully with intent to dispossess the lawful owner
• Carries imprisonment of up to ten years and a fine
• Allows the court to order restoration of possession to the owner, including at an interim stage
• Is heard by a Sessions Court, which may direct the police to investigate

How to use it

• A direct complaint is filed in the Sessions Court where the property is situated — you do not need the police to register an FIR first
• An attorney under a registered special power of attorney may file on your behalf
• Ownership documents and evidence of the dispossession must be attached

WHERE IT DOES NOT HELP It is aimed at property grabbers, not at genuine title disputes. If the other side has an arguable claim to ownership — an heir, a party to an unregistered agreement, a former co-owner — courts treat the matter as civil and this route will not succeed. It is strongest where a stranger or a qabza group has simply taken vacant land.