Kalicharan Banerjee, also known as Kali, the former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to ex-Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, was arrested on June 25 in connection with a warehouse roof collapse in Taratala, Kolkata. Banerjee was presented before a court in Alipore, South Kolkata, and was remanded to police custody until July 4. The public prosecutor alleged that Banerjee approved faulty construction plans in exchange for money, even forming a team to manipulate documents for approval.
The prosecutor highlighted that Banerjee’s influential connections could lead to witness tampering and evidence manipulation if he were granted bail. Consequently, the court denied Banerjee’s bail plea and ordered his continued police custody for further investigation. Banerjee’s counsel argued against the arrest, stating that there was no concrete evidence linking him to the warehouse collapse, as all relevant details were publicly accessible on the Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s website.
Banerjee’s arrest followed statements in the West Bengal Assembly where he was implicated as a key figure in plan approvals within the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. The court’s decision to deny bail and extend his police custody until July 4 was based on concerns of potential interference with the investigation and evidence tampering.
