Virginia Court Rules Against Encroachment on Land Tied to Gandhi Family

A Virginia court has ruled that a local resident unlawfully occupied a 30-acre parcel of land belonging to a charitable trust. The property, situated near Shenandoah National Park in Warren County, was tied to the late Kanu Gandhi, a grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.

Gregory Black had issued a legal notice claiming ownership of the land through adverse possession, a Virginia rule allowing ownership claims after 15 years of uninterrupted occupation. Parimal Desai, managing trustee of the Dr Schiva and Kanu Ramdas Mohandas Gandhi Charitable Trust, contested the claim after discovering the encroachment.

Judge Daryl L. Funk of the Warren County Circuit Court found that Black failed to prove his case. The court ordered Black to remove all structures and personal items within 30 days, surrender the property, and cover $11,375 in guardian ad litem fees.