PRAYAGRAJ, March 11 -- The Allahabad high court has cautioned the state authorities against using private land without acquiring the same through legal procedure, stating that in case of any default heavy penalty will be imposed on the officers responsible for it.

Allowing a writ petition filed by one Kanyawati of Bareilly district, a division bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Anish Kumar Gupta in a recent order observed, "The state authorities are required to be cautious that they should not utilize the land of the citizens without due authority of law or without following the proper procedure of acquisition, else the authorities, who may be found responsible for such utilization of land without due procedure of law shall b...