Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday stopped the demolition of former Trinamool Congress leader Jahangir Khan’s house in Falta, South 24 Parganas, until Monday, questioning the state administration over the notice and procedure followed before the demolition began.
Justice Suvra Ghosh passed the interim order while hearing a petition filed by Khan challenging the demolition of his multi-storey residence in Srirampur. The district administration had started pulling down portions of the building on Wednesday, alleging that it had been constructed in violation of building regulations.
During the hearing, the court asked the state to clarify whether a demolition notice had been served on Khan and how officials had established that the property belonged to him. It also questioned why steps had not been taken to serve notice on him despite knowing that he was in custody.
Khan’s counsel argued that the demolition was being carried out without proper notice. The lawyer also told the court that Khan’s son was staying elsewhere and had not received any communication from the administration. The court asked the petitioner’s side to produce the sanctioned building plan.
The state administration, however, maintained that several notices had been issued to Khan and that he had been called for hearings over the alleged unauthorised construction. According to the administration, a subsequent notice directed him to remove the unauthorised portions within seven days. The demolition began after the direction was not complied with.
The operation began on Wednesday morning with officials from the South 24 Parganas district administration, police and fire department present at the site. Household belongings were first removed from the premises before workers began dismantling the structure.
Khan, who was once a powerful local TMC leader in Falta and was known by the nickname ‘Pushpa’, is currently in judicial custody. He was arrested in June near the India-Nepal border in connection with multiple cases, including allegations of extortion.
The High Court has directed the administration to stop further demolition until Monday, when the matter is scheduled to come up for hearing again.
(With inputs from media reports)