KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Sunday ordered status quo on the demolition of the five-storied party office of Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress MP from Diamond Harbour at Amtala in South 24 Parganas district.
This comes a day after the state administration demolished an allegedly illegal portion of the building on Saturday.
Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury, holding a special sitting of the court on Sunday, directed the state government to submit all documents related to the controversial building, which 'Leaps and Bounds' Company reportedly owns.
Abhishek Banerjee is the chief executive officer (CEO) of 'Leaps and Bounds', said the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
'Leaps and Bounds' was represented by Senior Advocate Kishore Dutta, while Senior Advocate Ayan Banerjee appeared for the Trinamool Congress, which has been named as a respondent in the case.
Dutta argued that the demolition had been undertaken in complete violation of the statutory procedure and principles of natural justice.
"We were not given a hearing after the service of notice. The minimum I can get is an opportunity to respond to their allegations. They went and demolished it before I could take any steps," Dutta submitted.
"Under the statute, an owner is entitled to get a notice. It was not given to the owner. There must be a reasonable opportunity of hearing," he argued.
"There was no order or complaint served. The demolition is going on. Everything is being looted in front of the authorities," he told the court.
The court said the matter will be heard again before a regular bench.
The demolition on Saturday prompted the Trinamool Congress, belonging to Mamata Banerjee's faction at Kalighat, to move the court seeking a hearing on an urgent basis.
With heavy deployment of central forces and West Bengal Police (WBP), senior officials of the South 24 Parganas district, along with State fire services personnel, carried out the demolition operation at Abhishek’s palatial party office.
Local BJP MLA from the Satgachhia constituency was also present on the spot during the operation.
Three huge bulldozers were found demolishing the first floor of the building under the supervision of the administrative officials since 12.30 pm.
No resistance has been reported so far from Abhishek’s party workers.
According to the administrative sources, the five-storied party came up close to the Amtala market, allegedly violating building plans.
The Trinamool Congress leadership was informed about the violation of building rules in connection with the construction of the party office, seeking clarifications.
Sources said that a notice was also issued to three persons, including Amit Banerjee, the father of Abhishek Banerjee, asking them to appear before a hearing at the district administrative office by 2 pm on July 15.
The administration decided to demolish the building after it did not appear before the hearing.
On May 24, a Trinamool Congress party office at Mathpukur along the E M Bypass in the city was also demolished using bulldozers.
It was alleged that the office was built by forcefully occupying a portion of a residential building at Mathpukur.
Meanwhile, the Diamond Harbour MP claimed on Saturday that his Amtala office was built legally on purchased land and after obtaining the requisite permissions.
