Firhad Hakim’s OSD Kalicharan aka ‘Kali’ arrested in Taratala warehouse collapse case

The Kolkata Police have arrested Kalicharan Banerjee, the Controlling Officer of the MPLADS (Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) and BEUP (Bidhayak Elaka Unnayan Prakalpa) Cell within the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Thursday.

Kalicharan better known as ‘Kali’ had served as the Officer on Special Duty to former KMC Mayor Firhad Hakim when the building plan of the Taratala warehouse was sanctioned.

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Earlier in the day West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, while speaking in the assembly, referred to Kalicharan Banerjee and alleged that he was involved in corruption and had virtually taken control of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

Adhikari claimed that the former Mayor had delegated excessive powers to Kalicharan, allowing him to function as a parallel authority.

Speaking at the assembly, Adhikari said that a person identified as “Kali” played a key role in securing approvals for several construction projects.

“We know what has happened in Kolkata Municipal Corporation. If Kali is caught, all information will come out. No plan gets approved without Kali. Kali is constructing Trinamool Bhavan near the Bypass. An FIR has been lodged and action is being taken,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dharani Dhar Das, the general secretary of the Trinamool Congress’ workers’ union mentioned that Kalicharan indirectly controlled several departments of the Corporation and wielded significant influence over its administration.

Das even claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party Employees’ and Workers’ Organisation had repeatedly raised concerns about Kalicharan’s alleged role in controlling the functioning of the Kolkata civic body.

KMC পরিচালনায় কালিচরণের ভূমিকা নিয়ে প্রশ্ন তুললেন ধরণীধর দাস@BJP4Bengal | @SuvenduWB #DainikStatesman #KMC #KolkataMunicipalCorporation #DharaniDharDas #WestBengal #PoliticalNews pic.twitter.com/iLpEMdeohY

— Dainik Statesman (@StatesmanDainik) June 25, 2026

Speaking to The Statesman, Das said, “From what we have seen, he was in charge of transfers, promotions of all officers involved starting from building department, personnel, licensing, even all the DGs and deputies in every board. Everything that happened in the building team was under his thumb. He had kept officers close to him under the same post for 15-20 years.”