Calcutta High Court extends status quo on demolition of Abhishek’s party office till August 6

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday extended its status quo order on the demolition of Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee’s party office at Amtala in South 24 Parganas till August 6.

Justice Shampa (Subhra) Ghosh, while hearing the case, directed that the interim protection granted earlier would continue until the next hearing scheduled at 2 pm on August 6.

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The court had first stayed further demolition of the building on July 19 during a special holiday sitting.

During Tuesday’s hearing, the West Bengal government sought withdrawal of the interim order.

Advocate General Surajit Nath Mitra appearing for the state government argued that case had been filed over the proposed demolition of structures standing on land plots numbered 509 and 512 where no demolition had been carried out.

The state also said that demolition was undertaken on plot number 507and so the High Court’s earlier status quo order should be vacated.

Appearing for Banerjee’s company, Leaps and Bounds, senior advocate Kishore Dutta sought an extension of the interim protection.

Counsel Ayan Bhattacharya, representing the Trinamool Congress, also filed a fresh plea challenging the demolition.

Dutta argued that Banerjee’s company, the owner of the land, had not been served any notice before the demolition.

He submitted that the authorities had neither disclosed the allegations nor the documents on the basis of which the structure was declared illegal, depriving the owner of an opportunity to respond.

He further argued that even if the construction was found to be unauthorised, the owner should first have been given time to remove the structure before the authorities could initiate demolition.

After hearing all parties, Justice Ghosh observed that three separate applications had been filed in connection with the matter and said they should be heard together.

The court, therefore, adjourned the hearing while continuing the status quo order till August 6.

The five-storey building had been partially demolished by the district administration on July 18 following allegations that it had been constructed illegally.

Demolition resumed on July 19 with the use of bulldozers, air compressors, vibrators and other heavy equipment after office belongings were removed overnight.

Reacting to the demolition, Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee had maintained that the building was constructed strictly in accordance with sanctioned plans and all legal requirements.

According to South 24 Parganas district administration officials, the demolition proceedings were initiated following a written complaint by one Sushanta Mondal.

Notices dated June 30 and July 7 were issued to complainant Sushanta Mondal, former landowner Matiur Rahaman Mondal and Amit Banerjee, a director of Leaps and Bounds and Abhishek Banerjee’s father, asking them to appear for a hearing on July 15.

The administration claimed that none of the respondents appeared at the hearing, while Banerjee had asserted that representatives of his organisation had attended the proceedings.