Kolkata Warehouse Collapse Probe: Arrested Ex-Mayoral Aide Remanded To Police Custody Till July 4
Kolkata: Kalicharan Banerjee, alias Kali, the then Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to former Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, who was arrested on June 25 evening in connection with the collapse of the roof of an under-construction warehouse in the Taratala area of Kolkata, was on Friday remanded to police custody till July 4 by a court in Kolkata.
Banerjee was produced before the lower court at Alipore in South Kolkata on Friday evening. Public prosecutor Sourin Ghoshal, in his arguments, informed the court that the accused was responsible for clearing faulty construction plans in exchange for money.
“Even if the plan was not eligible for approval, it would have been passed by the accused against money. The accused had even formed a team to prepare documents to get the flawed design approved. The police are trying to find out who the others were in this core team of the accused,” the public prosecutor informed the court.
He also argued that, given his influential backing, the accused might try to influence witnesses and tamper with evidence if released on bail. Thereafter, the public prosecutor sought his police custody for further interrogation.
In his counter-argument, while also moving a bail plea, Banerjee’s counsel said that his client was arrested from his residence on Thursday evening without any specific evidence linking him to the warehouse roof collapse.
“Since all relevant details are available on the website of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, there is no requirement for further interrogation of my client,” Banerjee’s counsel argued.
However, the judge of the lower court rejected Banerjee’s bail plea and remanded him to police custody till July 4.
Banerjee’s arrest on Thursday evening came after the statement made in the West Bengal Assembly earlier in the day, where he was referred to as Kali and it was claimed that no plan was passed in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation without his clearance.
(IANS)
