Kolkata, 11 March (H.S.) : Suspended Trinamool Congress MLA and founder of the Amjanata Unnayan Party, Humayun Kabir, has landed in fresh trouble ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, after police summoned his wife in connection with allegations of illegal construction on wetland.

According to sources, Kabir’s wife, Mita Sultana, was summoned to Shaktipur police station in Murshidabad district on Wednesday following allegations that a residential house had been constructed illegally on waterbody land registered in her name. The development has triggered considerable political and administrative attention in the area.

The disputed property is located at Manikyahar village in Murshidabad and is officially registered in the name of Mita Sultana. Allegations suggest that the nature of the land was changed without official approval and that the house was constructed on land classified as a drainage channel or wetland.

Earlier, the state Land and Land Reforms Department had issued a notice to Kabir’s wife stating that the character of approximately 0.2 acres of land (JL No. 92, Plot No. 4404 in Manikyahar mouza) had allegedly been altered illegally. The notice, issued following a mass petition by local residents, asked her to submit a reply within seven days explaining why action should not be taken under the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955.

A district administration official explained that land classified as “nala” generally refers to drainage channels or small water bodies connected to irrigation or natural water flow systems. As per law, filling such land or changing its classification without prior approval from the Land and Land Reforms Department is illegal.

Authorities have alleged that despite not having the required permissions, the land was converted and a residential structure was built where Kabir’s family has been residing.

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Humayun Kabir’s response

Reacting to the controversy, Humayun Kabir said he has been living in the house for nearly 17–18 years. He claimed that he had purchased the land from a local family in 2003, began construction in 2005 and has been residing there with his family since 2007. The property, he said, was registered in his wife’s name.

Kabir admitted that the land continues to be recorded as “nala” in official land records but claimed that he had repeatedly applied during the Left Front regime to change the land classification to homestead land. He said he had approached the Block Land and Land Reforms Office and the Sub-Divisional Land and Land Reforms Office and deposited the required fees, but his application was never approved.

He further claimed that no objections were raised by the administration at the time of construction and that he eventually stopped pursuing the matter after repeated attempts failed.

Kabir also said that if action is taken against him, similar action should be initiated against all those who have allegedly constructed buildings after changing land classifications illegally.

Alleging political vendetta, he claimed that the action was being taken because he had left the Trinamool Congress and floated a new political party.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh