Kerala biz man's retirement gift for professor wife caught in police's line of fire

A cosy home in the middle of a mist-cloaked cardamom plantation in Kerala’s Idukki district was the perfect gift CT Jacob, a Kottayam-based businessman, had planned for his wife Elizabeth when she retired as a Chemistry professor. Initially, everything went as per the plan. The Kerala government had put up a land at Kuttikanam for auction as part of the revenue recovery procedure in 1998.

Jacob purchased the plot measuring 9 acre 38 cents with hopes of building a house and growing cardamom. He hoped they could stay together in the house hemmed in by the cardamom plantation. The idyllic dream soon became a nightmarish run for Jacob through what seemed like a never-ending legal maze. First, the forest department raised an objection, Jacob took the case to the Supreme Court and won.

Then he shockingly realised that the neighbouring plot was owned by the Kerala police and the department blocked his access to the property citing that it was used as a firing range by the police. The property next to Jacob's plot now houses the camp of the Kerala Armed Police Battalion -5, Kuttikanam. After a legal battle in the High Court that spanned 14 years, during which his wife died, a solution may be near for Jacob, who is now 81. 

"When I bought the property, it was a steep path with wasteland and bushy stretches all around. I was told that the then EMS Namboodiripad government had allotted the land for the police. I had started farming there. I cleared the path after months of strenuous work, brought in irrigation facilities," he said.

When the police raised objections regarding the path to his property, the DGP granted him permission to construct a road through the police property in 2003 since there was no direct entry to his property from the Kottayam - Kumily road. An agreement was also signed between Jacob and the DGP. "I built a road measuring 1.5 km at a width of 8 m. I had an old Maruti Omni which I would take along the road," recalls Jacob. 

The camp officer then closed the access pathway and the road, citing security reasons. When Jacob moved the High Court, the government submitted that the property is situated almost on the border between the States of Kerala and Tamil Nadu and is an area which is affected by Maoist activities. A report submitted by the Additional Director General of Police, Armed Police Battalion, regarding the safety of the police camp and the firing range noted that Jacob had no right over the land in question. 

"It was shocking. The property was registered and sold to me by the revenue department. Now another department was saying that I had no right over the land," he said. 

The High Court, however, noted that Jacob was permitted to use certain land belonging to the government as access to the property, and the order cancelling the earlier permission to construct a road was issued in violation of the principle of natural justice. The HC, through an order issued in April 2025, directed the Principal Secretary, Home, to decide in accordance with the law. 

In June 2025, the Home Secretary heard Jacob at a meeting attended by the officials of the forest and police departments. The AIG (Police Headquarters) informed that there are security concerns over the area, as outsiders may enter the camp, and there are chances of encroachment from private parties. 

The government has now issued an order directing the District Collector to assess the market value of the land where 1.5 km road exists and the lease amount per annum. The land will be leased to Jacob for a period of 60 years on an annual lease rent payment. Jacob has also been directed to construct a 2.5 metre high strong concrete wall. 

The path is not clear for Jacob yet. "When we went to survey the land, the camp officials raised objections. I have been told that the Tehsildar has sent a report to the Collector. It means I will have to go to the Home Secretary again. I hope the issue resolves very soon," said Jacob, who is in the timber business and interior decoration. An associate of Jacob, who handles the case, said that it remains to be seen how much amount one has to shell out for the lease to use the 1.5 km access road.