HC halts Bengal govt's decision to lease land to Sourav Ganguly for ₹1 for 999 years

The Calcutta High Court has temporarily intervened in the state government's decision to lease land to Sourav Ganguly to establish a factory. The controversy centers around allegations that the land was leased for 999 years at a nominal rate of just ₹1. The case, which has sparked widespread public interest, was heard on Friday by a division bench comprising Justice Jayamalya Bagchi and Justice Banerjee.

The land in question is part of a larger 750-acre plot initially allocated to the Prayag Group to construct a film city in Chandrakona, West Midnapore. The Prayag Group had invested ₹2,700 crores in the project. However, the group's involvement in a chit-fund scam later led to the confiscation of its properties, including the 750 acres of land in Chandrakona. The state government, tasked with recovering money for depositors, seized these assets.

Allegations have surfaced that a portion of this land, specifically 11.28 acres, has been granted to Sourav Ganguly for the development of a factory, raising questions about the fairness of the transaction. A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by Sheikh Masud, challenging the decision to lease the land at such a nominal rate.

During the hearing, the High Court emphasized that the future ownership of the land would depend on the outcome of the case. The court directed the state to file an affidavit within three weeks, detailing whether the land had been auctioned and, if not, why an open tender process was not conducted. The court made it clear that if the state fails to provide satisfactory explanations, it may object to the method of land transfer.

The division bench also expressed doubts about the transparency of the transaction, questioning whether the land was indeed sold on a first-come, first-served basis. The court underscored the need for re-examination of the entire land in Chandrakona, particularly the market value of the infrastructure developed for the film city, to restore public confidence. The state, in coordination with SEBI and the Talukdar Committee, is required to conduct a physical inspection of the land and submit a detailed report during the next hearing, scheduled for five weeks from now.