Kolkata, 20 August (H.S.) :

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday extended its interim stay on the demolition of Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee’s party office in Amtala, South 24 Parganas. The court has directed that the office cannot be demolished until September 18. The matter will be heard again on September 8.

The case relates to allegations that the office in Amtala was constructed illegally. A person named Sushanta Mondal had lodged a complaint on May 17 alleging illegal construction. Following the complaint, the administration initiated action.

A portion of the office was demolished on July 18, and demolition work resumed the following day. The Calcutta High Court had subsequently intervened and imposed an interim stay on the demolition.

The matter came up for hearing before Justice Shubhra Ghosh on Thursday. Senior advocate Kishore Dutta appeared on behalf of Abhishek Banerjee’s organisation, Leaps and Bounds.

Dutta told the court that the allegations of illegal construction concerned land bearing plot numbers 509 and 512. However, he alleged that the demolition had been carried out on plot number 507, where his client’s office is located. He also sought appropriate compensation for the alleged damage.

Dutta had earlier argued before the court that no notice was served on the owner before the demolition was initiated. The petitioner was also allegedly not informed about the basis of the complaint, the documents on which the construction had been declared illegal or given an opportunity to present their case.

The lawyer argued that even if the construction was found to be illegal, the owner should first have been given an opportunity to remove it voluntarily.

The state government was represented by Advocate General Surjit Nath Mitra during Thursday’s hearing. Mitra sought additional time, requesting that the state be given adequate opportunity to present its case.

After hearing both sides, Justice Ghosh extended the interim stay. The court directed that the Amtala office cannot be demolished until September 18, while the next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for September 8.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh