Calcutta HC directs police to file case against civic body in Bengal on corruption charges

Kolkata, Aug 1 (IANS) A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the West Bengal Police to start a probe against Trinamool Congress-run Asansol Municipal Corporation (AMC) on charges of demanding Rs 20 lakh from a factory-owner at Asansol against promises of not taking any action against any illegal construction.

Besides directing the police to start the probe after filing a case against the municipal corporation authorities, the single-judge bench of Justice Gaurang Kanth also observed how the municipal corporation authority could demand such money, promising non-action even in case of illegal construction.

He said that he will hear the matter again on August 4, and in the meantime, the police should start the probe after filing a case in the matter.

The case goes like this -- when the owner of the factory sought permission for expansion of his factory, he was informed by the AMC authorities that a portion of the existing construction was illegal and hence would be demolished.

Accordingly, July 5 was fixed as the date of the demolition. But the owner of the factory somehow could escape that demolition by paying a penalty of Rs 20 lakh to the municipal corporation authorities.

However, the factory owner alleged that soon after that, a fresh demand for additional Rs 20 lakh was made to him by the municipal corporation authorities against assurance of non-action, even though any construction of the entity was illegal.

Thereafter, the owner of the factory approached the bench of Justice Kanth in the matter, where his counsel alleged that the municipal corporation authorities had been demanding money in the name of the Asansol General Fund.

The matter came up for hearing on Friday, and Justice Kanth raised the question on how a responsible municipal body could make such a demand against a promise of taking no action against any illegal construction. Thereafter, he directed the state police to start the probe into the matter after filing a case against the AMC authorities

--IANS

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