HighLights
  1. TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's office demolished in South 24 Parganas.
  2. Demolition followed notices for alleged illegal construction.
  3. Action taken amidst various corruption allegations against Banerjee.

A fresh political controversy has erupted in West Bengal after authorities launched a demolition drive against the office of Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee in South 24 Parganas.

The demolition took place on Saturday at the MP’s office located at Amtala on the Amtala-Baruipur Road. Bulldozers were called in after an administrative notice stating that the office had been constructed without the requisite approvals.

A huge number of police and administrative personnel were deployed in the vicinity to avoid any untoward incident as the demolition was underway. A group of residents along with the workers of TMC came to the spot.

Action Follows Notices On Multiple Properties

The demolitions took place days after the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) served notices to 17 properties which were in the names of associates of Abhishek Banerjee, his family members and his firm Leaps and Bounds.

ALSO READ: Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Fighting Like A Tiger' Praise For Abhishek After Madan Mitra’s Allegations, Says ‘Can Restart Party Again’

Among the properties listed in the notices was Shantiniketan, Banerjee’s home in Harish Mukherjee Road. The TMC-run KMC issued the notices during a review of property records.

The dispute gained momentum as BJP put out a list of 43 assets reportedly associated with the Diamond Harbour MP and asserted some of them were held jointly with others. The party said the list was based on Kolkata civic body records.

TMC Rejects BJP Allegations

In response to the allegations, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale questioned the veracity of the property list and alleged that several individuals by the name “Abhishek Banerjee” were present in the database, thus proving no properties belonged to the TMC leader.

Earlier this month, a cafe, allegedly built on encroached land and connected to the son of TMC leader Saokat Molla, was also razed down in South 24 Parganas.

ALSO READ: 3 Ex-TMC MPs Elected Unopposed To Rajya Sabha On BJP Tickets Weeks After Quitting Mamata's Party

FIRs Faced By Abhishek Banerjee

The move comes at a time when Banerjee is facing multiple controversies and accusations. Earlier, FIRs were filed against him in connection with alleged corruption of Rs 550 crore, involving charges of illegal soil excavation, and discrepancies in the distribution of relief package after Cyclone Amphan. While TMC has rejected the allegations, the issues are currently being probed.

Banerjee has also been in the spotlight over a teachers’ recruitment scam in West Bengal, with the Enforcement Directorate interrogating him as part of its money-laundering investigation into suspected “irregularities” in recruitment. Banerjee has denied the charges and alleged that the Centre is using agencies for political vendetta.


Also In News