The Supreme Court ruled that it's a fraud when government-acquired land for public use is privately returned to the original owner.
This kind of deal weakens the government's power to take land for public projects, which is called "eminent domain."
The court has said these private agreements are not legally valid; they can't overrule the government's legal land acquisition.
Such agreements change the intended use of the land, going against the reason it was taken in the first place.
The case in Narela, where the Delhi Agricultural Marketing Board tried to give back half the land, showed a clear example of this illegal practice.
This court ruling protects the government's right to take land for public projects when needed.
The decision helps ensure that the process of taking land for public use stays fair and honest, and isn't bypassed.
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