Even the rooftop of the squash court and the store rooms were categorised as “convenient hiding places” by the police.From the illegal construction of buildings inside Delhi Gymkhana Club such as the “Empire Store” and a “petty Baniya Shop” to the proposed acquisition of 1.99 acres of land abutting the Prime Minister’s residence, the elite club has been slapped with notices for demolition and eviction from as far as six decades ago.Each time, the matter has been settled — the “illegal constructions” have been demolished, commercial stores shut down, and in the case of the security concerns regarding the PM’s residence, some staff quarters have been relocated.Correspondence between Gymkhana Club and the Land and Development Office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) show that the government dispatched its first notice back in 1956, asking the club to remove “unauthorized constructions”. As the list of alleged unauthorised constructions grew longer, the L&DO, in 2000, issued orders for “peaceful possession” of the premises.In one communication, the club admitted that “thereafter, several notices were received asking the club to remove several more unauthorised constructions/ breaches…”.In a letter dated September 29, 2000, the L&DO chastised the club for neither removing the “breaches” nor paying up the penalty. “The entire plot of land forming the subject matter of the relevant Lease Deal and all the buildings standing thereupon including all structures, erection and fittings shall vest with the lessor,” it said.In 2004, the club paid penalties of Rs 74.22 lakh, including Rs 38.16 lakh for unauthorised construction, Rs 2.61 lakh for running the Empire Store, and Rs 23.91 lakh for the “Jumbo Shop”.In 2008, the club informed the government that the premises had never been “re-entered”, and that they had withdrawn the writ petition in the Delhi High Court since the “regularization” charges had been paid.Story continues below this adWhile the matter appeared settled, it took another five years for the L&DO to write to the club, in December 2009, informing that it was withdrawing the “re-entry” order.The correspondence shows that following the original 1956 notice, the Empire Store was demolished in 1980, and the Jumbo Shop was shut in 2001.The club received notices in 2001-2002 for “re-acquisition” of 1.99 acres of land adjoining the PM’s residence. This matter too was before the HC, and was sorted out in an “out-of-court” settlement – the staff quarters on the periphery of the club were moved and the “security zone” was sanitised.The records show that in 2001, after the club received notices for the “resumption” of the land, a list of 178 families/ quarters was prepared. In May 2000, the Municipal Corporation issued orders for their rehabilitation with Rs 81.88 lakh being calculated as the cost of the shifting project, which the club paid and converted the area into a “green” belt.Story continues below this adAt that time, the government prosecutor had told the HC that “it is naïve to suggest that the Prime Minister’s security should be left to the care of officials of the Delhi Gymkhana Club.”A confidential letter from the Delhi Police in May 2001 noted, “There are over 150 servant quarters in Delhi Gymkhana club area which have been considered one of the most potential threat areas, being in close proximity with Race Course Road. It has therefore been decided that these servant quarters should be removed forthwith…”Even the rooftop of the squash court and the store rooms were categorised as “convenient hiding places” by the police.Former Additional Solicitor General Vikas Singh, who had appeared for the Gymkhana Club in 2001-2002 before the HC, recalled: “Even earlier, the matter of the Prime Minister’s security has been cited by the ministry and has been sorted out amicably. The government, back then, gave alternate land in Molarband on the outskirts of Delhi to the club staff who were asked to vacate their homes. And even then, back in 2001, orders were issued for compensation as per Clause 4 of the 1928 lease.” xxxxxxxxxx Ritu Sarin is Executive Editor (News and Investigations) at The Indian Express group. Her areas of specialisation include internal security, money laundering and corruption. Sarin is one of India’s most renowned reporters and has a career in journalism of over four decades. She is a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) since 1999 and since early 2023, a member of its Board of Directors. She has also been a founder member of the ICIJ Network Committee (INC). She has, to begin with, alone, and later led teams which have worked on ICIJ’s Offshore Leaks, Swiss Leaks, the Pulitzer Prize winning Panama Papers, Paradise Papers, Implant Files, Fincen Files, Pandora Papers, the Uber Files and Deforestation Inc. She has conducted investigative journalism workshops and addressed investigative journalism conferences with a specialisation on collaborative journalism in several countries. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Delhi Gymkhana Club