The Kolkata Municipal Corporation on Tuesday initiated a probe into the legality of properties linked to Abhishek Banerjee and some of his associates, marking the civic body’s first formal step in examining alleged irregularities.
Civic officials visited several properties associated with the Trinamool Congress national general secretary during the afternoon, including ‘Shantiniketan’ on Harish Mukherjee Road, where a notice under Section 401 of the KMC Act, 1980 was pasted.
Such notices are issued when the civic authorities suspect that a building, or a part of it, has been constructed without mandatory approvals.
A senior KMC official confirmed that notices were served at multiple locations.
“This is the standard procedure when a probe into possible
building violations is initiated. If serious deviations are found, the process can eventually lead to demolition, strictly as per the rules,” the official said.
According to sources, a team from the KMC buildings department knocked on the doors of ‘Shantiniketan’ but received no response. The notice was subsequently affixed to the wall. Later in the day, however, the notice was found torn down, officials said.
The civic assessment department has also identified 42 properties that are either owned or co-owned by Banerjee. Officials have been asked to verify records and ascertain whether any municipal taxes remain unpaid.
“We are checking ownership details and outstanding dues, if any, and will proceed accordingly,” a senior official from the department said.
Leaders of the ruling All India Trinamool Congress said the move had upset the Banerjee family, which is preparing to challenge the action legally. Party sources indicated that legal documents are being collated and vetted, with lawyers already consulted.
“This is not about governance, it is vendetta politics,” a senior Trinamool leader alleged.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari claimed at a public rally that multiple properties linked to Banerjee and others were under investigation and asserted that those found guilty of corruption would face jail.
He also named several individuals whose assets, he said, were being scrutinised as part of a broader crackdown.
The developments have added a sharp political edge to the civic action, with the ruling party framing it as targeted harassment and the opposition portraying it as accountability.
The KMC, which has been under Trinamool’s control since 2010, maintains that the process is purely procedural and will be carried out in accordance with municipal law.
