Hearing on Sandip Ghosh’s 'illegal' house stalled as lawyer walks out over missing documents

The hearing concerning the alleged illegal construction of Sandip Ghosh’s house in Beleghata, Kolkata, was abruptly halted on Wednesday amid escalating tensions at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. The disruption occurred after key documents, including the building’s blueprint and detailed records of the illegal construction, were not presented. The hearing, which was intended to address the validity of Ghosh’s house construction, was paused due to the absence of this crucial information, leaving the case unresolved for the time being.

Anshuman Sarkar, the complainant who has accused Ghosh of illegal construction, raised serious concerns regarding the municipality’s failure to provide essential documents for the hearing. Sarkar insisted that the municipal authorities had not made sufficient efforts to retrieve or present the necessary documentation to assess the extent of the illegal construction. He claimed that without these documents, the hearing could not proceed and criticized the delay in taking action on the issue.

Sandip Ghosh’s legal representative, present at the hearing, referred to a stay order from the Calcutta High Court, which had been issued regarding the case. However, the lawyer acknowledged that despite this court order, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation had not provided the required documents. The lawyer emphasized that the municipality was allowed to proceed with the hearing but had failed to present key evidence. As a result, the lawyer left the proceedings, stating that they would return when the hearing was rescheduled and the necessary documents were made available.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation had earlier issued a notice about the alleged illegal construction at Ghosh’s house, which reportedly involved modifications that violated building regulations. However, the municipality has not yet clarified which specific parts of the house are in violation. Despite having significant time to prepare for the hearing, the municipality was unable to present the house’s blueprint or definitive evidence regarding the extent of the illegal work. The failure to provide this documentation has raised questions about the thoroughness of the investigation.

During the proceedings, Anshuman Sarkar reiterated his claim that the entire construction was illegal and should not be overlooked. He criticized the municipality for not taking more active steps to gather the necessary information. Sarkar maintained that the issue must be resolved swiftly and emphasized his determination to continue pushing for a resolution. As the hearing was adjourned, both sides await further legal developments, and the case remains unresolved pending the submission of crucial documents.