Abhishek Banerjee Amtala Office Demolition: Calcutta High Court Orders Status Quo Till August 6

Abhishek Banerjee Amtala Office Demolition case returned to the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday, where the West Bengal government argued that the portion demolished by the administration did not belong to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee's company, Leaps & Bounds. The High Court, however, directed that status quo be maintained until August 6, ensuring that no further demolition of the disputed office takes place before the next hearing.

The case stems from allegations that the party office at Amtala in Diamond Harbour was constructed without the required building plan approval and legal permissions. While the state has defended the demolition as lawful, the petitioner has alleged that the action was taken without following due process.

High Court Maintains Status Quo
Hearing the matter, Justice Shubhra Ghosh directed both parties to maintain the existing status of the property until August 6, when the matter will be heard again at 2 p.m.

The interim order means that no additional demolition or alteration of the disputed structure can be carried out until the next hearing.
The court did not conduct a detailed hearing on the merits of the case and decided to continue the interim protection until all submissions are considered.

State Government's Stand
During the hearing, the West Bengal government challenged the claims made by Abhishek Banerjee and Leaps & Bounds regarding the demolished structure.

According to the state's counsel:

The demolished portion is not owned by Leaps & Bounds.

The land owned by Leaps & Bounds falls under Plot Nos. 509 and 512.
The demolition was carried out on Plot No. 507, which, according to the government, is different from the land owned by the company.
Based on this argument, the state requested the High Court to vacate the earlier status quo order.
The government maintained that the administrative action was taken on land that was not part of the property claimed by the petitioner.

Allegations Over Unauthorized Construction
The dispute began after allegations surfaced that the Amtala office in Diamond Harbour had been constructed without obtaining valid building plans or statutory approvals.
District authorities reportedly issued multiple notices seeking explanations regarding the construction.

According to official records cited earlier by the administration, the land where the office was constructed had been purchased in the name of Leaps & Bounds, with Abhishek Banerjee's father, Amit Banerjee, also being associated with the property.

Officials claimed that repeated notices went unanswered, following which the administration proceeded with partial demolition of the disputed structure.

Leaps & Bounds Challenges Demolition
The demolition was challenged before the Calcutta High Court by Leaps & Bounds, the company associated with the property.

Senior advocate Kishore Dutta, appearing for the petitioner, argued that the demolition violated the principles of natural justice.

According to the petitioner:
No proper notice was served to Leaps & Bounds.
Authorities did not specify the exact allegations or identify the documents relied upon to classify the construction as unauthorized.

The company was not given an adequate opportunity to present its case before demolition was carried out.

The petitioner contended that the administrative action was arbitrary and legally unsustainable.

Key Legal Questions Before the Court
The Abhishek Banerjee Amtala Office Demolition case now revolves around several important legal questions:
Ownership of the Demolished Structure
The court will determine whether the demolished portion formed part of the property owned by Leaps & Bounds or belonged to a different land parcel, as claimed by the state.

Compliance with Due Process
The High Court is also expected to examine whether authorities complied with statutory procedures before initiating demolition.
Validity of Administrative Action
Another significant issue is whether the demolition was legally justified under applicable municipal and land regulations.

Next Hearing on August 6
After hearing preliminary submissions from both sides, Justice Shubhra Ghosh fixed August 6 for the next hearing.

Until then, the status quo order will remain in force, preventing any further demolition or alteration of the disputed premises.

The outcome of the next hearing could determine whether the interim protection continues or whether the court permits further administrative action.

The Abhishek Banerjee Amtala Office Demolition case has become another closely watched legal and political dispute in West Bengal. While the state government maintains that the demolished structure was not part of Leaps & Bounds' property, the petitioner alleges that authorities acted without proper notice or due process. With the High Court ordering status quo until August 6, all eyes will now be on the next hearing, which is expected to clarify the ownership dispute and the legality of the demolition.