A close aide and Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to former Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim has been suspended by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) due to his arrest and subsequent police custody related to the recent collapse of an under-construction warehouse in Kolkata. Kalicharan Banerjee, the suspended individual, remained in police custody for over 72 hours, leading to his suspension in accordance with KMC regulations. He can only return to duty upon legal clearance.
Following the collapse of the warehouse roof in Kolkata’s Taratala area on June 24, which resulted in 16 fatalities, Kalicharan Banerjee’s name gained public attention after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari mentioned him. The Chief Minister highlighted Banerjee while presenting documents in the state Assembly, referring to a person named “Kali” who was allegedly involved in various building approvals in Kolkata. Kalicharan Banerjee was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Kolkata Police on June 25 and has since been in police custody for questioning regarding the incident.
Kalicharan, known as a key figure within the KMC and considered Firhad Hakim’s “right-hand man,” previously worked in the West Bengal Police before transitioning to the state administration. He joined the KMC after Hakim assumed the mayor’s position in late 2018. Apart from his role as Hakim’s OSD, Kalicharan was involved in managing the MP Fund and the MLA Area Development Project. Sources within the KMC alleged that Kalicharan wielded significant influence within the civic body, with no construction project in the city progressing without his approval.
