Taratala warehouse collapse: FIR filed against ex-Kolkata mayor, 2 others
What's the story
A complaint has been filed against former Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim and two ex-councilors, Anwar Khan and Shams Iqbal, in connection with a deadly under-construction warehouse collapse in Taratala. The incident killed 16 people and injured 17 others. The Bharatiya Janata Mazdoor Cell (BJMC), an affiliate of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), lodged the complaint on Friday evening.
Allegations detailed
'Serious concerns regarding unauthorized constructions'
The BJMC's complaint alleged that the recurring collapses of illegal buildings and godowns in the Kolkata Port area resulted in several innocent deaths. It claimed these structures were allowed despite being a grave threat to public safety. The complaint stated, "These incidents do not appear to be mere accidents but raise serious concerns regarding unauthorized constructions, gross negligence, and possible criminal conspiracy."
Investigation request
BJMC demands immediate registration of FIR
The BJMC's complaint sought the immediate registration of an FIR and a fair probe against Hakim, Khan, and Iqbal. It also demanded to identify all those involved in illegal constructions and the deaths caused by these collapses. The complaint further called for the arrest of Hakim and the two councilors if they are found guilty of granting illegal approvals or permitting unauthorized construction activities.
Arrest updates
Police arrest Hakim's former OSD
The police have already arrested Kalicharan Banerjee, Hakim's former officer on special duty (OSD), after the warehouse roof collapsed on Wednesday afternoon. An Alipore court has remanded him to police custody till July 4. Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari slammed the previous Trinamool Congress-led board of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) for approving a project with a faulty design.
Political response
TMC-BJP leaders exchange verbal blows
Earlier, Trinamool Congress (TMC) spokesperson Kunal Ghosh questioned if the chief minister would stand by his word and arrest the former mayor by Saturday evening. He said, "The chief minister flagged a document in the assembly signed by ex-mayor and had said that no one would be spared." In response, BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar asked if Ghosh demanded arrests during past incidents under the TMC rule.