Probe into Abhishek Banerjee’s alleged property tests Trinamool leadership

New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) A Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) probe, reportedly over properties allegedly owned by Trinamool Congress General Secretary and Lok Sabha member, Abhishek Banerjee, his family, or company, has created a political and organisational test for the party.

The notices were reportedly served under provisions of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, where officials have also visited several premises, including “Shantiniketan” in Kolkata.

One report mentioned a notice pasted on that property later being found torn, which became a small but symbolically important episode of the political slugfest.

Even when the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool government was in power, critics have been voicing allegations on a “large number of properties” being registered in the names of the younger leader Abhishek Banerjee and a company called “Leaps and Bounds” said to be owned by him.

The Trinamool Congress has repeatedly rubbished such allegations as a ‘mud-slinging’ exercise by the Opposition.

According to the reports now, KMC officials issued notices over a set of properties linked to Abhishek Banerjee, asking for approved building plans and related documents.

The stated aim is to check whether the constructions conform to sanctioned plans and whether taxes are pending.

The incident has given some leaders within the organisation “a chance to speak” with the heir apparent “on their own terms”, a Trinamool Congress functionary claimed.

The issue was apparently “addressed indirectly” in a recent meeting where a leader, once considered close to Abhishek Banerjee, reportedly saying that there are subjects that needed to be discussed in details.

For other Trinamool leaders, the effect is more defensive than disruptive.

Senior Trinamool leaders appeared distancing themselves from the development in public, because Abhishek Banerjee is both the party’s National General Secretary and one of its most visible organisers.

This has created a communication burden for leaders who must defend the party’s governance record in Kolkata while also insisting the probe is not an evidence of wrongdoing.

That is a delicate position because KMC is itself a Trinamool-run civic body, so the party cannot easily claim the action is purely external persecution.

Mayor Firhad Hakim, also a four-time Trinamool legislator and former Minister in the previous Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal Cabinet, distanced himself from what is being seen as notices served by a civic body still run by his party.

He denied having knowledge of the KMC initiating a probe against such properties, claiming that such matters are handled by the civic body’s executive wing.

The reference could have been to Trinamool Congress Councillor Debalina Biswas, also Chairperson of Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s Borough number 9.

However, she resigned soon after the notices were reported to have been served.

In a letter addressed to KMC Chairperson Mala Roy, Biswas said that she was stepping down from the Borough Committee chairperson’s post but would remain the Councillor of Ward 74.

Even if the civic scrutiny does not result in formal findings, the narrative itself can be damaging because it keeps questions of assets, ownership, and tax compliance in public view.

Meanwhile, in a Facebook message posted Thursday late evening by Trinamool Spokesperson and party MLA from Beleghata, Kunal Ghosh, termed the allegations as false. He advised people to check Abhishek Banerjee’s declared wealth and properties owned by the three-time Lok Sabha candidate from Diamond Harbour in his affidavit submitted with the nomination documents.

In 2024, the Trinamool Congress General Secretary had declared total assets worth more than Rs 2.32 crores with liabilities of about Rs 36 lakh. His personal income stood at Rs 82.58 lakh in 2022-2023, a significant drop from more than Rs 90.5 lakhs and 1.51 crore as declared in the previous fiscals.

–IANS

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