The Directorate of Estate (DoE), under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, on Wednesday sent a team to 12-Janpath in New Delhi to vacate the bungalow occupied by Chirag Paswan, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president and Lok Sabha MP from Jamui in Bihar, following eviction orders issued last year, according to officials aware of the development. The Lutyens' Delhi bungalow was earlier allotted to Paswan's late father, former Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan. It was allotted to Railways and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in Aug 2021. This is the third eviction drive in as many days by DoE, which got 7-Moti Lal Nehru evicted by BJP Lok Sabha MP Ram Shankar Katheria and 10-Pandit Pant Marg, occupied by Union minister and BJP MP P C Sarangi, sources said. The occupants of these bungalows will move to MP flats, an official said. “It is regular procedure to send the DoE team following eviction notices,” an official said. “Chirag Paswan is already living in an MP flat allotted to him, and 12-Janpath (bungalow) was to be vacated last year, as it has already been allotted.” Stating that a DoE team was sent “to vacate the premises”, the official said, “We had issued eviction notices last year. The bungalow had been allotted to Ashwini Vaishnaw, who has not been able to move in (yet). The minister is presently residing in an MP flat.” In August 2021, the Centre had issued an eviction notice to Chirag and other occupants of 12-Janpath, asking them to vacate the accommodation. The bungalow was the official address of LJP, which held its organisational meetings and other related events there.
