The demolition of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's office in Amtala, South 24 Parganas district (left pic), has sparked off a political confrontation between the TMC and the ruling BJP. Photos: PTI
Calcutta HC halts demolition of Abhishek Banerjee's office in major relief for TMC leader
In an urgent Sunday sitting, HC ordered a status quo on Amtala property until July 2026, Banerjee accused state police of working with "BJP goons" to loot office valuables
The Calcutta high court has provided critical temporary relief to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee in a highly volatile political standoff.
On Sunday, in an urgent sitting, the high court ordered a halt to the demolition of his Lok Sabha constituency office in Amtala, South 24 Parganas. A bench led by Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury directed all parties to maintain a status quo until the next hearing.
The urgent intervention followed a petition by Leaps and Bounds, the company linked to the property, which moved the court after the structure was razed despite claims of possessing valid land documents.
The demolition has sparked a major political standoff amid ongoing political drama within the TMC.
Abhishek Banerjee had recently created a stir in political circles after throwing a challenge to the TMC rebels that he would resign within an hour if they returned back into the party fold. The rebel camp has however scoffed at his offer.
TMC hits out at BJP
Meanwhile, even as the demolition issue escalated, TMC had locked horns with the BJP: TMC claimed the demolition was being illegally pushed through under the watch of BJP politicians while court proceedings were still active. Reacting aggressively to the razing down of his office, Banerjee accused the West Bengal Police of acting outside the law and alleged that police personnel actively carted away valuables from the site under the guise of an enforcement drive.
The TMC MP wrote on X: "The lawlessness in Bengal is on full display. Despite Supreme Court and High Court rulings holding bulldozer demolitions unconstitutional, my Lok Sabha constituency office at Amtala was demolished yesterday."
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He further alleged that videos showed West Bengal Police personnel carrying away laptops, printers, documents, furniture and other office equipment along with "BJP goons", describing the operation as "theft in uniform" rather than a demolition. He also accused the police of showing "utter contempt for the rule of law" while the matter was sub judice before the high court.
The authorities, however said, they had allegedly found the office to be constructed without an approved building plan and in violation of applicable rules.
Court steps in
This urgent petition marks the latest escalation in a prolonged legal battle over the property. This is not the first time there has been a row over it.
After the Assembly election results, the TMC had previously moved the high court, alleging that the office was targeted in an attack and accusing the local police of failing to intervene. While that initial matter was listed before the bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya, it was never taken up for hearing.
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The case took a sharp legal turn when Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury intervened against the ongoing bulldozer action. Finding that the property owners may not have been given an adequate opportunity to respond before the demolition was ordered, the court directed the state to halt all further tearing down of the structure.
By ordering a status quo on the building's nature, character, and possession until the end of July 2026, the ruling by the Calcutta high court has gone in Abhishek Banerjee's favour for the time being.