A special bench of Calcutta High Court, led by Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury, held an urgent hearing on a petition by Abhishek Banerjee, a Trinamool Congress leader. The petition challenged the demolition of his party office in Amtala, West Bengal. The court directed a “status quo” in the matter until further orders, halting any additional demolition actions by the state administration.
The court clarified that while no new demolitions should occur, it did not reverse the actions already taken by the administration. The case will now be referred to a regular bench for further proceedings. Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury emphasized that any construction details must be submitted to the regular bench for review and clarification.
During the hearing, Abhishek Banerjee’s counsel raised concerns about the issuance of notices and the lack of proper procedures followed by the district administration. The former Advocate General, Kishor Datta, argued that the demolition occurred without adequate notice and violated established rules. In response, the current Advocate General, Surajit Nath Mitra, defended the administration’s actions, citing the absence of a valid building sanction plan.
Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, condemned the demolition on social media. He accused the West Bengal Police of unlawfully demolishing his office, alleging theft of essential equipment and furniture. Despite legal proceedings, Banerjee criticized the authorities for disregarding the rule of law and engaging in misconduct during the demolition.
