CHITTA RANJAN DEBBARMA . vs O.N.G.C. LTD. . — C.A. No. 2812/2007

Summary: Chitta Ranjan Debbarma v. O.N.G.C. Ltd (C.A. No. 2812/2007) Outcome: Supreme Court allowed the appeal, set aside the High Court's judgment, and restored the Land Acquisition Judge's award of Rs. 85,000 per kani. The Court found that the High Court and L.A. Judge erred in disregarding documentary evidence (Ex. 2) from a comparable 1979 land acquisition case in the vicinity, which would have yielded Rs. 1,28,000 per kani with a 10% increase factor. ONGC was directed to pay the balance compensation with statutory benefits within three months. Case Details: 47.26 acres acquired in 1985 for ONGC expansion; the L.A. Judge fixed market value at Rs. 85,000/kani, but the High Court reduced it to Rs. 60,500/kani by applying an arbitrary 30% deduction based on one 1983 sale transaction while ignoring superior comparable evidence from a nearby 1979 government land acquisition. This case analysis is maintained by casestatus.in based on publicly available court records.